GRA sees increased payments with dishonoured cheques

Oct 01, 2022 News

– says imprisonment, blacklisting for guilty culprits

Kaieteur News – An increasing number of taxpayers have been uttering dishonoured cheques to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the agency, in hopes of quelling the practice, has warned that the culprits could find themselves before the court of law.

In a press release issued on Friday, the GRA made it clear that taxpayers and their representatives making payments by using dishonoured cheques may be subject to prosecution under the Criminal Law (Offences Act) Chapter 8:01, with those found guilty in a court of law subjected to imprisonment. This warning, it noted, is necessary in view of the increasingly prevalent practice of uttering dishonoured cheques to the Authority.

Taxpayers are also advised that notwithstanding the penalty outlined, associated interest and penalties continue to accrue from the due date of the payment until the liability is settled in full.

Consequently, the Authority advises that entities making payments to GRA by cheque must ensure that the information detailed thereon is accurate and that sufficient funds are available in their respective bank accounts to process such payments.

Persons effecting payment by dishonoured cheques due to insufficient funds will be blacklisted and not allowed to make payments by personal cheques for a minimum period of six months in the first instance, 12 months in the second instance and permanently thereafter.

Payments effected by such defaulters must thereafter be by cash if less than $2 million (in keeping with AML regulations) or by Manager’s drafts for any amount. Such defaulting taxpayers will be required to make all future payments by either Manager’s cheque or cash, depending on the amount.

Furthermore, taxpayers are reminded that GRA will not accept cash payments exceeding $2 million as a result of security concerns for both the Agency and general public.

“The Authority again entreats taxpayers to take advantage of the convenient and secure electronic payment options available through MMG, Bill Express and any of the bill payment facilities at Demerara Bank, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry and Republic Bank,” the release added.