Dear Editor,
I have been following up on the Value Added Tax issues because I am a businessman and since I did not really understand the process at first. I am now beginning to understand it and over the last month I have called the Revenue Authority several times when I needed clarifications.
Yesterday I asked someone passing the VAT department to check in and clarify something for me. I was told upon his return that he was advised when he got there and made his query that the best person he could speak to was the VAT department’s Commissioner. Lo and Behold, my friend said he was surprised to learn that this person was apparently not the Commissioner-General who we always see on television and responding to the public.
Mr. Editor, I was also surprised because all along I thought the GRA had one Commissioner. Upon making further queries, I also found out that most of the various GRA departments have different Commissioners and even Deputy-Commissioners.
This realization now leaves me puzzled because it begs the question: why is the Commissioner General, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur always in the spotlight responding to the public and the media when there are other Commissioners?
These Commissioners need to do their jobs and let Mr. Sattaur only respond when absolutely necessary.
VAT implementation needs as many GRA persons as possible to get messages over to the public. It is a huge task and Guyanese, especially consumers and the business community, need to become more affiliated with the tax. So, these Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and all others need to get on the ball and support the Commissioner-General.
Yours faithfully,
(name and address
supplied)
