Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur is urging businesses and members of the public who are dissatisfied with the service received when clearing goods at Customs to seek redress.

The GRA said in a statement that persons can take such matters to the Senior Manager (ag) Tax Exemption Processing and Verification Gavin Lowe, Deputy Head of Customs and Trade Administration Robert James or Deputy Commissioner-General Clement Sealey. The GRA noted that while it has been implementing measures to improve services at Customs, it continues to receive complaints from concerned citizens and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce about delays in the process.

According to the GRA, Sattaur said that while he believes that there is some merit in the issues being raised by some persons who conduct business with Customs, it must be noted that with the improvements made it now takes one to three working days to process entries and goods at Customs. In addition 99% of the goods are cleared within this time frame with only 10 containers being subject to examination under the cameras weekly.
The GRA uses its Risk Profiling System to determine the degree of risk a particular consignment poses to revenue and consequently the extent of the examination necessary. Therefore, where there is proper and adequate documentation, the process is swift.

Sattaur also noted that the GRA is pleased that businesses are coming forward with these allegations and he assured that officers who deliberately disrupt the smooth process at Customs will be disciplined.