Dear Editor,
In Times likes these I am compelled to recall the substance of an epistle by Mr. Freddie Kissoon which -some years ago- appeared in the Kaieteur News and which focused on a culture of tax evasion and tax avoidance by unscrupulous businessmen in this country. I think that it was captioned: If he hollers squeeze him more. I would wish to see it reprinted soon.
I said before, that it was disheartening that more persons and organizations did not join with ‘Uncle Freddie’ in his battle cry which was designed to ensure that more persons become tax compliant and condignly treat with those of us who are determined to abdicate our social and legal responsibilities in the realm of taxation.
Now that the VAT is here and the greed and avaricious nature of some businessmen -and women-are being exposed, all of civil society including some who should be representing the business community have suddenly become concerned and conscious.
A plethora of complaints have been against those who have been using the VAT vehicle to over-run the pockets of consumers – rich and poor alike.
Indeed, such covetous, and as my grandmother would have said ‘long-hearted’ behaviour has angered not only consumers, but government and the Guyana Revenue Authority as well.
As the competent authorities desperately try to remedy the obvious problem, have you ever wondered what really is the root cause of this reprehensible conduct.
Perhaps it exists, but I am not aware of any society in which taxes are paid willingly and without some form of coercion. However, in some societies the coercive mechanism is so effective that the payment of tax is actually done willingly.
It seems ironic that one of the most tax compliant nations in the world is the USA which was born out of a revolution which was premised on the non payment of a tax. That apart, I am of the opinion that an alternative to the coercive mechanism for the payment of taxes is an early education and socialization process which will help to foster a tax-compliant culture.
In school we teach physical education, health education, and sex education but never tax education. In fact, in integrated science we teach how to read our light bill but we are never taught how to compute our income tax NIS and other deductions.
Yet when we enter the world of work we are expected not only to gleefully pay our taxes but to accurately and diligently file our Tax Returns.
Therein lies a huge deficiency in our education system, and if we ever hope to become a tax-compliant nation we must introduce tax education at the primary level as early as possible.
The eminently wicked, sinful, immoral and criminal conduct of some of our business people is a reflection of our failure to properly educate them. Some years ago a certain businessman said that he was not interested in making a profit, rather he was interested in making money.
I think that today those unscrupulous businessmen and women whom I would wish to refer as the Villains of the VAT are pursuing that same agenda.
Yours faithfully,
Francis Carryl
