Customs seize $$$ Millions in imported goods from Suriname

Jul 21, 2012 News

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…importers say they are being victimised

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has seized several millions of dollars in goods belonging to an Upper Corentyne importer and businesswoman after accusing her of smuggling the items from neighbouring Suriname.
Up to press time, the items which were transferred to six trucks remained in the custody of the Berbice Anti- Smuggling Squad (BASS) at Number 78 Village, Corriverton.

But the businesswoman, Bashoon Habeeb, has said that she produced the necessary documentation and paperwork to the local authorities in Corriverton and believes that she is being victimised.
She added that the seizure is costing her business millions of dollars. Bashoon Habeeb, owner of BN Habeeb Supermarket of Line Path, Corriverton, said that she applied to the GRA Corriverton office as she usually does to bring across goods for her supermarket. This application was made last Friday.
She said that they gave her the go- ahead on Monday and her boat went across to Nickerie, Suriname and was loaded up with the items.
The boat arrived in Corriverton late Monday evening, during which time the GRA office was closed. She related that the Customs officials do not work after 18:00 hrs. If the boat had remained in Nickerie, Habeeb said that the boat would have had to pay double wharfage fee, “so the boat come across and sleep at Line Path”.
The following morning the water was still low, preventing the boat from going closer to the wharf, “so you can’t get the documents from the boat to go and report to customs”.
The same morning, Habeeb said, she received message from the Customs officials “that it come from Mr. [Khurshid] Sattaur’s office, to ‘hold up’ everything and don’t release anything, so the boat left again (on the water loaded with the items) Tuesday night to Wednesday afternoon”.
When the contents of the boat were eventually discharged, the Customs officials announced that the items were to be detained and taken to the BASS compound.
“They refused to collect the duties since Tuesday”, she added. They eventually collected the duties on Thursday morning and “they want the boat to pay $20,000 fine— They said that the boat was wrong, that it didn’t report to customs”.
Another Upper Corentyne businessman, Mohamed Latiff, vented his frustration too. Similar incidents would normally take place and a group of 17 businesspersons met with President Donald Ramotar at his office, two weeks ago, “but this thing getting more worse. Since we see the President— worst victimisation you call it”.
The woman related that the President called Mr. (Clement) Sealey, the deputy for Mr. Sattaur, and “tell him to get everything to resolve and let the people go do their work”, he said.

Habeeb said that she was accused by Customs of the boat having extra goods “and it take out goods because it spent the night in the Ocean”. She stated that she had them check the list and declarations of goods from Suriname and the documents corresponded with the contents of the boat when it arrived in Corriverton, “and everything is correct—The list that came from Suriname, the Manifest the boat came with and the declaration of duties and they still hold it up”.
The businesspersons are confused at the entire situation and want a hearing from the higher authorities.
“We got about 16 importers; I am the only woman. I am 60 years and have families to maintain. This is the work I depend on and I do this work for over 30 years”, she said. “Last week, I paid $3.1M in duties; today (Thursday), I paid $2.8M in duties— so we are getting lots of pressure, lots of problems”.
She even vented her frustration on the Upper Corentyne Chambers of Commerce (UCCCI), since her business is registered with them but they tried their best and could not assist further.
Up to press time, the six truckloads of imported goods remained on the lawn outside the BASS office in Corriverton. The authorities wanted the goods to be moved in the BASS compound, however, Mrs. Habeeb showed this newspaper the state of the compound with huge holes and craters and said that it was impossible for the trucks to head there.
When Kaieteur News contacted the officer, Mr. Manifold, who dealt with Mrs. Habeeb’s matter, he forwarded the newspaper to the GRA Georgetown office for comments.
GRA Commissioner General, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur was out of office as was his Deputy, Mr. Clement Sealey. Head of Integrated Regional Tax Office, Mr. Jameel Baksh said that he “knows nothing about the matter”.
When asked to explain the seizure, he suddenly had to take another call and his secretary asked that this newspaper call back.

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