The Mandate of the Guyana Revenue Authority

Jun 14, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is noted with grave concern the numerous missives, published in both the local newspapers and broadcast in the social media, which attempt to cast an incorrect and negative view of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
While it is my humble opinion that these communiqués seem to stem directly from a recently recurring call for the resignation of perceived politically appointed officers within the Revenue Authority, and to serve as a not so new forum by which staff air grouses against management, I wish to emphatically say that the GRA has always been seen as one of those Government Organisations which operates with a high degree of transparency and accountability surpassing its revenue target year after year and the distorted views of a few individuals should not be regarded as an accurate reflection of the organization.
As is the norm with most semi-autonomous entity, the work of the GRA is managed by a Governing Board comprising of both executive and non-executive directors as provided for under the act that establishes the Revenue Authority. As is common with such large organisations there would be various sub-committees of the Board such as the Internal Audit Committee. the Human Resource Committee among others to ensure strict adherence to standard operating procedures by various divisions, section and unit within the GRA. As such, any appointment and/or promotion and remuneration of officers within the organization would at all times confirm to a process that would not only be transparent but that is fully sanctioned and competitive.
I would like to take this opportunity to reemphasize that the peddling of allegations, misconceptions and innuendos is not an accurate reflection of the GRA, but rather, a cheap attempt by disgruntled individuals to malign the professionally intact and good reputation of the Revenue Authority as a whole, in an effort to satisfy personal and unwarranted grievances.
The media should thus forthwith, desist from publishing such wholly inaccurate, greatly misleading and mischievous references to the GRA and its senior officers as carried in the Kaieteur News letter writer column of Monday, 8th June, 2015 as many of the misconceptions and innuendos peddled would appear to be unsubstantiated and are the very type of campaigns His Excellency President David Granger frowns upon, that is deliberately targeting a person/persons because of who he/she may be perceived to be, or because of the colour of his/her skin, or whom he/she may have voted for.
It is important to note that the GRA comprises in the main senior officers who are highly qualified and professional who ought to find such views expressed in letters published as obscene and highly offensive to them and the work that they do. Additionally, such letters only serve to expose those elements who would have been fairly and justly dealt with by the GRA’s Grievance Procedure but who may have had to part ways with the GRA due to their errant ways, and who are now using the media to seek revenge on those they perceive to be enemies.
While I do not wish to be involved in any campaign of support for or against top echelons remaining in the organization post General Elections, as this is very much the prerogative of those who are in the current administration and the government, it should be noted that the individual records and that of the Commissioner General ought to attest to the level of their competence and professionalism, and this should not be tarnished by the grouses of some disgruntled members of the public and used to determine the future of such sets of employees that are critical to the proper functioning of the GRA.
I am therefore calling on your media house to desist from publishing false information contained in letters relating to the GRA as a means of denigrating persons in higher echelons of that organization, as well as to portray the agency as an ad hoc organization with no proper systems of discipline, work ethics, policies on transfer and promotion. Such letters can prove to be demoralizing to all staff of the GRA who have a mandate to promote compliance of tax laws and regulations with integrity and good standing.
Ramesh Indarjit

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