Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia, recently confirmed with the Guyana Standard that the body has initiated steps to increase its customs, enforcement, and auditing measures outside of Georgetown.
Statia noted that the regions have gross untapped potential especially as it relates to the extractive industries as well as a number of medium and small scale enterprises. But due to the treacherous terrain, the lack of appropriate machinery and the dangers associated with certain interior locations, GRA encountered difficulties in bringing all eligible entities into the tax net.
Guyana Standard understands, however, that GRA would be deploying more aggressive measures. This will take the form of increased customs, enforcement and audit presence in these areas. GRA noted that improving the audit complement in the Branch Offices is also key to optimizing revenue collections and compliance.
Further to this, GRA identified the need for Audit Managers for each Regional Office while noting that this would be addressed since the services provided by the Integrated Regional Tax Offices (IRTO) are too concentrated in the coastal areas. GRA acknowledged that this impairs the ability of the authority to provide adequate and efficient services to persons who dwell in the hinterland regions.
To alleviate this issue, Guyana Standard was informed that the IRTO will be opening new offices this year at Fort Wellington, Region Five and Mahdia, Region Eight. By 2021, additional offices will be established in Kamarang in Region Seven, Kwakwani in Region 10 and Matthews Ridge in Region One.
Further to this, Bartica’s operations are currently being relocated and expanded whilst Customs Operations will be fully established at Parika.
By extending the full gamut of services to the regional locations, GRA said that the operations will become more integrated, streamlined and efficient. This strategic thrust it said, will also encourage voluntary compliance.
