Dear Editor,
I attended the open session hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Guyana on February 7 at the Marriott hotel. The session was addressed by the Commissioner General, Mr Godfrey Statia, and his team from the Guyana Revenue Authority who sought to explain details of some of the recent budget measures.
I was appalled by the condescending and patronising style of the Commissioner General who even showed a lack of respect to one of my colleagues, who asked a question relating to the reporting of commercial and non-commercial activities separately. Mr Statia told him that he appeared to be an accountant and should know International Accounting Standards. My colleague was visibly embarrassed although it is the Commissioner General who should be embarrassed since accounting rules do not apply to tax laws.
What I found most appalling, however, and what created quite a stir in the room was when in response to another accountant concerning the VAT on school fees, the Commissioner General said that if they can afford to send their children to private schools then they can afford to pay VAT. This is the same political response a government minister gave when in the National Assembly in defence of VAT on private medical facilities.
The Commissioner General does not appear to appreciate the hardships which we parents go through to send our children to a private school. My aunt, for example, is a single parent barely scraping by financially to send her son to private school, while his father, a senior political government functionary, refuses to pay child support.
Mr Statia further defended the government’s decision by saying that 90% of the parents of children who go to private schools are professionals, and he knows that professionals do not pay their taxes.
This strikes me as an alternative fact!
And to crown it all, while the session was going on Mr Statia abruptly left announcing that he had a call from his boss and that he had to leave.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
