[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Private Sector Commission (PSC) says that the current sloth of doing business with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) does not augur well for Guyana’s economy and the issue needs to be remedied with some amount of alacrity.
This comes after the PSC met with officials from the GRA to raise their concerns which include delays in the processing of import and export documents and Commissioner General Letters; timely VAT Audit and Refund; implementing of GRA systems at Ogle Airport to put it on par with CJIA Airport; issuing of license/CG letters to businesses for a specific period.
“GRA was informed that businesses have to wait up to three weeks for the processing of CG Letters that should take between 2-3 days. The processing of documents for import and export duties are also delayed, which can see containers being held up for at least 6 weeks, resulting in slow down of business; loss of sales and profits and of course excessive demurrage. It was recommended, to encourage good governance and to avoid bribery while processing documents, GRA should give priority to businesses that have a good history of compliance and to implement the Recognized Economic Operator System that is in place in other jurisdiction,” a PSC release stated.
Being aware that GRA is not the only agency that deals with the processing of import and export documents, it was advised that more collaborative ties should be established between those agencies.
In addition, to ensure efficiency, the PSC suggested that containers could be transported to the business premises for inspection, this would reduce the congestion at the wharfs and avoid hefty demurrage charges being incurred by businesses.
Another suggestion was for GRA to revise the Standing Operating Procedure that deals with the importation of vehicles to suit projects.
“The Private Sector Commission was pleased to hear that the GRA would be meeting with the other agencies involved in the processing of import and export documents to decide on a more effective approach. It was also mentioned that officers were put in charge to deal specifically with CG Letters and other categories of importation; additionally, consideration will be given to the issuance of CG Letters for a specific period,” the statement noted.
GRA, the most corrupt institution in Guyana, has the laziest set of workers who engage in private conversations even as they slothfully deal with your five minute transactions. Some of them just sit there doing nothing or just waiting on someone who would be willing to use the under the counter/ table transaction. Just ask anyone who has to visit that sickening building except for the favoured few who bypass you in the line.