Members of the public who visited the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) licence office yesterday complained bitterly about being forced stoop to transact business at the office’s cashier.
It is not clear how long the cashier booth has been located in the back building of the office’s Princes and Smyth streets location, as in the past persons did all money transactions in the front building. However, while persons yesterday welcomed the move to have make payments in the same building they were receiving their licences they objected to the window being so low that one had to stoop to speak to cashier.
“This is just not right. Who in God’s name would build something like that?” one man questioned yesterday adding that it is also surprising that the powers that be are not seeing how idiotic the situation is.
It is not clear what was the idea behind building the cubicle in such a manner but while Stabroek News was at the office many members of the public–old and young–were observed stooping to make payments; in some cases on their knees on the dusty floor. Those who just had to pay for the licence were spared the humiliation of stooping as the chit and the money could be pushed into the small window sloth and the cashier then produced the licence in the same manner.
But if the cashier had to speak to the customer or vice versa then one would have to stoop. One woman said she could not bend because her knees were “not good” and it was a difficult process communicating with the cashier. In the end, after some amount of shouting, she heard that her documents were not found.
Men and women complained about the situation but one man noted that it was “shameful” for women “especially if dem wearing skirt.” He noted that that the manner in which the women were forced to stoop meant they were facing the door of the building behind which was a long line of persons.
“So if she don’t fix she skirt properly is right up in she people seeing,” the man noted.
Another grouse for persons was that they were forced to stoop in the passageway where persons have to walk in and out of the building.
“I am convinced that everything in this country is designed to frustrate you,” one woman commented.
And to add insult to injury, the cashier never started working until 9 am even though there were persons waiting from as early as minutes to seven.
