The Managing Director of NP Home Department and the Company Secretary of Muneshwer’s Limited were yesterday slapped with separate charges of failing to provide VAT invoices and were released on their own recognizance by Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton.
Estwick Oliver Northe, Managing Director of NP Home Department, and Company Secretary of Muneshwer’s Limited, Radica Hanoman yesterday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It is alleged that on January 2 at 344 Middle Street, North Cummingsburg, Northe recklessly failed to provide a tax invoice when making a taxable supply. On the same date at Lot 45-47 Water Street, Georgetown Muneshwer’s Limited is accused of doing the same. Officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Friday served summonses on the two business places after visiting the stores and allegedly finding that they had invoicing violations of the Value Added Tax (VAT) law.
The prosecutors for the GRA are Gino Persaud and Anil Nandlall while Glen Hanoman appeared for Muneshwer’s Limited and Joseph Harmon for Northe.
Attorney-at-law Hanoman stated that both business persons had conceded that the VAT system was a new one and they had to acquaint themselves with it.
He showed receipts to the court from Muneshwer’s Limited to indicate that his client had regularized their receipts.
Nandlall told Stabroek News that he said in court that it was not the policy of the GRA to prosecute businesses in relation to VAT but neither would it allow the law to be flouted with impunity.
He said the GRA had recognized that it was a new system and for it to work successfully it required cooperation from the business community. He added that the GRA will only resort to legal action as a last resort and the authority expected full cooperation from the two businesses. The two businesspersons will return to court before the Chief Magistrate when the case continues in Court One on January 23.
