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GRA expanding regional operations
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is taking steps to improve and harmonise the provision of its services throughout the country.
In its Corporate Strategic Plan 2019-2021, the tax-collector noted a lack of procedural harmonisation between its headquarters and branches, as well as an inadequacy in its geographical reach.
Supporting its Camp Street, Georgetown Headquarters are seven branches throughout the country: Lethem, Corriverton, Parika, Bartica, Anna Regina, New Amsterdam and Linden.
The plan has determined that there is a need to ensure the services provided by the GRA’s Integrated Regional Tax Office (IRTO) are void of deficiency. IRTO, through its regional offices, is charged to offer tax services to communities within the various regions. Those regional offices report to IRTO at the authority’s Georgetown head office to ensure the proper coordination of its resources and activities.
Presently, there are particular insufficiencies at the Parika and Lethem. Extending the full gamut of the services, the Authority offers involves establishing Customs operations at its Parika office, the relocation and expansion of the Bartica office, and providing connectivity for the Lethem office, allowing it to become a fully functional regional office.
GRA’s Camp Street Headquarters
These actions are expected to effect a more streamlined and efficient services, and to encourage voluntary compliance by taxpayers in those areas.
The body has noted untapped potential in certain regions, in which extractive industries and medium and small enterprises are in operation. In some of these regions, issues that may cause barriers are treacherous terrain, lack of appropriate machinery and other dangers associated with certain interior locations, the plan notes. Due to these barriers, GRA had previously encountered difficulties in bringing all eligible entities into the tax net.
But the body intends to deploy more aggressive measures to increase the customs, enforcement and audit presences in those regions, with a key focus on improving the Audit complement in the branch offices. That is to optimise revenue collections and compliance by creating the perception of increased controls.
The report states, despite the branches being ‘Regional offices’, that they are mostly concentrated in the coastal areas.
To remedy that, the GRA is in the process of having new offices established at Fort Wellington in Region Five and Mahdia in Region Eight. It also intends to establish offices at Kamarang in Region Seven, Kwakwani in Region Ten and Matthew’s Ridge in Region One.
GRA has also noted, with intent to address, the disparity between the level and quality of service provided by the head office and its regional branches. Fixing that will involve training of staff, including Audit Managers for each regional office. Filling up staff gaps are also expected to close knowledge gaps.
Taxpayers should, according to the strategic plan, experience increased revenue collections and efficiency, not unlike the service provided in Georgetown.
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