Are Minister Broomes and the Govt. saying these problems just started?

Feb 23, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
The newspaper headlines and a few letters are highlighting the work of the Junior Minister, Simona Broomes, in the Ministry of Natural Resources with responsibility for mining forming syndicates and getting land for small miners. This is great news but LET’S LOOK AT THIS REALISTCALLY AND CAREFULLY. The Government has been in power now for close to 20 months and the junior minister has been in that position for over a year
New lands and concessions ARE NOW being offered to small syndicates that would never have been offered, or issued had the GGDMA /GWMO and miners in general not been lobbying for the withdrawal of this new (Jordan/Statia) tax regime. How is it that they waited until now? Why did they not offer these new measures before? Why wait until there is a huge cry about this increase in taxes before they intervene with these measures?
Is the Minister and by extension the government saying that these problems, she speaks about, started only a few weeks ago? Mr. Statia is on record as saying that only the large miners will be affected by this new tax regime i.e. 2% paid on the sale of gold as advance taxes until you make up your books at the end of the year and pay roughly 40% on your profits. And that it will not affect small miners, as they would be entitled to a refund if they make a loss.
Well you have to now decide to stay as a poor miner and ensure that you do not strike it rich or in bush man terms “catch an edge and make a lil lash out hoping to buy that Charlie (Excavator) that you worked for all your life”. After mining in the bush for 20 years, withstanding malaria, dengue, typhoid and numerous other difficulties the dream of owning your pick up truck or Model M to assist you in transporting your goods to the bush, would remain just a dream because before you go to buy those items, Mr. Statia has to get his taxes.
Oh yes, and the deposit and those monthly payments cannot be deducted as expenses when filing your tax returns. They are considered Capital Growth and will be taxed. Also, only official receipts would be allowed for expenses. Statia would probably be back in the USA in a year or two when you are being audited so when he says I will accept it, the GRA auditors will tell you up front they are not the CG or he is no longer here. Get the facts? Find an accountant and ask him. You will need him at the end of the year anyway.
Devika Boodram

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