Remigrant was not in Guyana when vehicle cleared, registered

Oct 24, 2014 News

Kamal Mangal and the Mercedes Benz SUV.

– In two years, spends 20 months overseas

Shortly after admitting that he has been spending more time out of Guyana than in, a remigrant, who imported a high-end Mercedes Benz SUV under a special Government programme for returning Guyanese, may have breached the conditions under which he was allowed to import the vehicle.
Kamal Mangal, 67, the uncle of Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, since registering the vehicle, PPP 9090, on November 2, 2012, has been more out of the country than in.
When the vehicle arrived in Guyana in October 2012, Mangal was not in the country to clear it. He was also not in Guyana to register his vehicle on November 2, 2012.
Between November 2012 and October 2014—a two-year span—Mangal spent about 20 months out of the country and only four in Guyana during his visits, spending on average two weeks at a time.
The length of time spent in the country has direct bearings on the conditions under which duty free concessions for vehicles are granted to a remigrant.
When he applied to become a remigrant he swore to an Affidavit of Remigrants for Duty Free Concessions which stated:
“…that I have now decided to remigrate to Guyana where I pledge to reside for no less than three years, failing which, I agree to pay all customs duties applicable to the articles I am bringing in from the United States of America…
“I make this declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and correct, and according to the statutory declaration Act.”
The Guyana Consulate website stipulates in the REVISION OF THE POLICY GUIDELINES OF THE REMIGRANT SCHEME, that the applicants must make a Statutory Declaration that they are remigrating, and will reside in Guyana for no less than three (3) years failing which all exemptions granted become immediately payable.

A frontal view of the vehicle

In his affidavit filed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mangal agreed to these conditions.
In 2012, when he applied to become a remigrant, Mangal signaled his intentions to import a Mercedes Benz AMG jeep, a high-end vehicle, in his applications to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The file with the approval was then sent to the Guyana Revenue Authority which prepared a “Tax Exemption” letter.
In that same letter approval was also granted by GRA for the remission of Customs duty for the vehicle and other personal effects.
Mangal’s case came to the fore last week after a newspaper report said that he listed the home of Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, as his address.
Nandlall told Kaieteur News that Mangal owned 15 apartment complexes overseas and has invested heavily in Guyana.
The SUV was parked outside the apartment building that Mangal says he owns, on Delhi Street, Prashad Nagar.
Nandlall reportedly said that he is unsure why his home address was listed on the paperwork. He admitted that Mangal stayed with him several times in 2012 when application was made for the vehicle.
The spotlight has been drawn to the remigrant scheme following revelations that state auditors have been investigating a fraud scheme in which vehicles were coming in and being sold illegally, robbing the state of millions in taxes.