President Ramotar has established panel to review tax regime

Georgetown: President Donald Ramotar has divulged the names of persons who he has recently nominated to a panel that will lead the review process of the taxation system in Guyana.

His Excellency, in an interview with the state television, spoke with high acclaim of the appointees who are Ronald Ali, economist Dr. Cyril Solomon and prominent businessman Clifford Reece.

The President said “I hope that they will begin their work shortly… the terms of reference have also been completed and sent to them….”

During the PPP/C’s 2011 general and regional elections campaign trail, President Ramotar at that time being the Presidential candidate, had promised a tax regime review including an appraisal of the Value Added Tax (VAT).

Promises to examine options for making the tax system more family friendly, including through personal income tax relief conditional on the number of dependent children were included in the PPP/C’s manifesto which was launched on October 23.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo had noted that the manifesto proposed a taxation system that provides enough resources to address concerns of poor people rather than acting as a disincentive to them.