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The IDB should fund an independent audit of the GRA’s TRIPS system

Feb 05, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
Several of my friends and relatives who import various merchandise have complained about long delays in processing documents at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The GRA publicizes its accomplishments regularly on national television, especially its new TRIPS system.

I decided to research the TRIPS system, and this is what I found. The system is being implemented by a UK company, Crown Agents. It is funded by a loan to the Government of Guyana by the IDB. This is money the people of Guyana will have to repay. It is managed by the Ministry of Finance, its political managers and a project unit titled the Fiscal and Financial Management Programme (FFMP).

This GRA/TRIPS software had an initial budget of US$4 million and was supposed to be fully functional by December 2007. The budget was subsequently extended to over US$5 million, and the system, over a year later, (still appears not to be functional).

Can the Minister of Finance explain what levels of incompetence, and who is accountable, that resulted in this system still not being implemented after spending over US$5 million of taxpayers’ dollars?

The cost above is only software-related. Perhaps the minister can explain to taxpayers how much additional cost was incurred in managing, and in this case mismanaging, the project. Also, really, whose fault is this? Is it the Minister’s, the IDB, the senior GRA management or the project unit responsible (FFMP)? This magnitude of incompetence indicates that all the parties involved are responsible.

I insist, as a citizen, that an audit be conducted on this project, the results be published and people be held accountable. The IDB should fund an independent audit of this project in the interest of transparency.
Ganesh Singh

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