The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has done a tremendous job when it comes to bringing more individuals into the tax net and capturing more revenue for the national purse. But there are still a few challenges that it needs to get a handle on, says Finance Minister Winston Jordan.
During an interview with the Guyana Standard, the official said that smuggling and internal corruption are just two of the issues the tax authority needs to do more work on — and urgently too.
The economist said, “I would like to see them reduce smuggling and handle corruption because — even though the GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia has done tremendous work there — corruption still exists too much in the organisation and every day is a new challenge.”
The Minister added, “Even now, I am hearing that they are facing a new challenge with hard liquor. I don’t want to go into that too much because they are working on a method to overcome it but every day is a new challenge. We have to ask for the cooperation of the staff because that is where some of the problem is at.”
Be that as it may, Jordan said he will continue to maintain his high praise for the dedicated staff at the entity.
In the mean time, the Commissioner-General has commenced an investigation into the leakage of confidential taxpayers’ information to some sections of the society, particularly to the Political Opposition, with a view to prosecute those officers who were part of the exercise. Statia is also moving to strengthen administrative systems at the customs department to ensure the smuggling of goods is reduced.
