Freddie guilty of public mischief

Nov 15, 2019 Letters

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Dear Editor,

I have read, with amusement, disgust and derision the KN article of Mr. Freddie Kissoon of November 14, 2019 titled “President Granger and Godfrey Statia are pathetic failures”.
Amusement in the fact that Mr. Kissoon “like he did my predecessor” has tried to goad me, by publishing various mistruths on his dealings with the GRA, into a response that will allow some respite to his fledging and spent career as a journalist and political commentator.
Unlike my predecessor who Mr. Kissoon claims to have treated him unfairly, I find it demeaning to be drawn into any public debate or conversation with Mr. Kissoon.
I am a public servant and will continue to do my job in a professional manner, and I have never, past, present nor will in the future fail in executing my legal duties as Commissioner-General. Actually, I must admit that after his article on the clearing of his vehicle where he included glaring half-truths and innuendos, and to which I refused to respond, I expected to have seen an article on the vehicle registration process, and the fact that the law does not allow for vanity plates, a request for which was not approved.
Editor, I am disgusted by Mr. Kissoon’s utter disrespect to the Office of the President and the holder of the highest office in the land under freedom of the press enshrined in the Constitution, when in actuality he creatively is guilty of public mischief.
Lastly, utmost derision in the fact that it is either that Mr. Kissoon refuses to read responses to his columns, is guilty of intellectual dishonesty, or through the “advent of old age” and/or previous past experience is beginning to suffer from amnesia, and by his own admission, inflexible opinion-ism.
It was Frantz Fanon who Freddie knows too well that stated: “Sometimes people hold a core belie
that is very strong. When they are presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new evidence cannot be accepted. It would create a feeling that is extremely uncomfortable, called cognitive dissonance. And because it is so important to protect the core belief, they will rationalize, ignore and even deny anything that doesn’t fit in with the core belief”.
This is typical Freddie.
Mr. Kissoon, if my memory serves me right, may have written about Property Tax at least three times during my stint at the GRA.
On every occasion, he has bemoaned the fact that based on the high raises, Property Tax should be raising billions in tax dollars.
On more than one occasion, I have had cause to place in the public domain, rather than responding to him directly, full page adverts that explained the basis of Property Tax and why contrary to popular belief, Property Tax is not a tax on property but rather is based on a person’s Net Worth less exemptions et al.
I wonder how Freddie – an academic researcher, would have taught his students, since it is apparent because of his inflexibility, he failed to do any research whatsoever for his article.
In the alternative, he could have at least requested an explanation from the Prime Ministerial candidate that he has quoted.
But rather he chose to protect his core belief by choosing to ignore and deny anything that doesn’t fit in with this belief.
Property Tax being a Net Worth Tax means, that all liabilities, yes Freddie, all liabilities owed by the person should be deducted to arrive at the Net Property, any associated Wear and Tear claimed on the property, then the $40M exemption. The remainder is then taxed at rates of 0.75% to 1%. Further, it is the acquisition price used, and not the market value of the property. The government, recognising this, has amended the law to utilise a value at 01/01/2011 value as of 2013. Do the math. Check with your business friends, and even your employer, who despite having huge businesses, are mortgaged to the hilt. Check the loans owed to the banks, their bad debt portfolio. All of this information will show that “all that glitters is not gold”. Declaration and filing of Property Tax returns did not culminate in payments in 90% of filing cases. Filings only added paper burden, and no taxes, hence the raising of the threshold. Further, notwithstanding increases in exemptions, Property Taxes had steadily increased under my tenure from $2.4B in 2014 to its $4.35B in 2018 and a present $4.2B year to date for 2019 due to increased compliance.
But Freddie may not be alone in his simplistic interpretation of the Property Tax, so he can be forgiven.
I have seen some of my very tax officers who have battled with the computation, even a former member of the Tax Reform Committee and a past Chairman of the Board at the GRA.
A current Presidential candidate also famously calculated the tax on Gross rather than Net Assets thereby lamenting that Property Tax on his new business venture will exceed $150M annually.
As for his comments on “Clientelism” and concealment of assets, it seems that Freddie may have information that would be useful in increasing tax collections.
I have said on numerous occasions, if the top 1,000 taxpayers pay their rightful taxes, tax rates will be more equitable.
My agency’s role is to ensure that everyone pays their rightful tax, and to administer the laws in a fair and equitable manner. I will be grateful for him to supply such information to the authority, which will be treated with utmost confidence, to facilitate payment of all rightful taxes (not only property taxes).
In a response of May 1, 2017 to Mr. Kissoon’s KN’s article of April 27, 2017 titled ‘From Sattaur to Statia: the unpleasant story of Guyana.’, I stated as follows:
“Mr. Kissoon is considered an independent thinker, and may have sometimes suffered for his stand. His articles create national and international discourse. It is unfortunate therefore that such a person can descend to such a level of indecency, where he felt it was acceptable to berate and abuse public servants and then simultaneously try to manipulate the situation to garner public sympathy. This leaves a lot to be desired from defender of the downtrodden”.
This is but another cheap and futile attempt at cheap publicity.
To again edify the general public, political writers, presidential and prime ministerial candidates, I have again instructed that an earlier press release on the basis of Property Tax be recirculated.
Let the public be the judge as to who is or are pathetic failures.
Godfrey Statia
GRA’s Commissioner-General

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