Georgetown: The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) along with the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) Monday launched a new container scanner site located at the corners on Sussex and Lombard Street, Georgetown.
The container scanner is a gift from the Government of The People’s Republic of China and is the first of its kind in Guyana. This was disclosed by GRA’s Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia.
The Commissioner-General said the scanning facilities “not only reduce trade transaction cost and time but also for the collection of increased revenues.”
He explained that “many countries, to whom Guyana exports, require scanning at the source and we were in danger of losing these markets for lack thereof because of our failure to meet certain international trade guidelines for trade facilitation.”
Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, declared that the new scanner and facility “a crucial component in our Anti-money laundering efforts and the fight against illegal drugs and other activities.”
The minister stated that it will also play an important role in protecting the nation’s revenue. He noted that parcels coming into the country are packed in such a way that if an officer is not thorough, items are missed and important revenue is lost.
He added that this scanner will also be able “to detect illegal exports” and “deter illegal trade activities.”
Minister Jordan also noted that this new venture underscores GRA’s tax reform.
He said that the tax amnesty announced in this year’s budget has seen active participation and the amnesty ends on September 30. Minister Jordan said the staff of GRA is critical to the success of the reforms while charging them to adopt a proactive approach to their work and become more engaged and less susceptible to unscrupulous practices.
“The commissioner general has my full support in doing what it takes to make the agency worthy of the support and trust of taxpayers,” he said. He said the tax agency is heading in a new direction and that tax reform and tax administration “which for far too long was held in abyss, as you know as soon as I came on board I was acutely aware of the shortcomings of the GRA, so it didn’t take me too long to start a massive drive to clean up that institution with a view of not only increasing tax collection but to also improve equity, efficiency of collection, allocation of resources, all which will benefit the taxpayer and Guyanese.”
Minister Jordan said that tax reform administration is needed more than ever when the economy is emerging from periods of challenges, particularly as it relates to sugar and emerging economic sectors to oil and tourism. Since 2015, Minister Jordan said several new and amended pieces of legislation have been passed to remove disparities and to simplify the tax system, reduce rates in income, corporate tax and VAT while eliminating a multiplicity of tax that generate little or no income. “The system for filing taxes have become easier with the introduction of electronic filing; the use of technology is critical to the revenue collection process and will no doubt improve efficiency of time and reduce opportunities to engage in corrupt practices,” he said.
He said with the coming of the first oil in the first quarter of 2020, the work of the GRA will expand greatly as government seeks to ensure and safeguard oil revenues. The finance minister added that the GRA will soon be boosting an oil and gas unit staffed with professionals who will receive the highest training and best practices in the sector.
By 2020, the economy is projected to grow by at least 20 per cent and beyond it is expected to grow by leaps and bounds and this will come with new challenges, new laws and regulations while better implementation and enforcement will become even more pronounced, according to the minister.
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