Dear Editor,
The major issue behind Glenn and Bhena Lall’s tax evasion charges has to do with fairness in the enforcement of the law. Right now the government reportedly has a list of about one hundred names – all benefited from tax waivers as remigrants – who are being investigated. (The guilt or innocence of Glenn and Bhena Lall is a separate matter engaging the courts. I am only discussing a problem of the public’s perception).
The public’s perception is that Glenn Lall has been targeted because of his pivotal role as a newspaper publisher. The public also know that his paper is playing a major role in exposing corruption in which the government’s invisible and visible hands are often evident.
To dispel this perception I urge the government to move quickly to suspend or revoke all tax waivers granted in the last five years to all remigrants – until they can prove they permanently reside in Guyana. A set of criteria can be drawn up to establish what constitutes “permanent residency”.
At a minimum these should include living in Guyana for at least six months each year, holding a job or running a business and filing annual tax returns in the state of Guyana.
An article in Monday’s SN reported on a Kamal Mangal, a relative of the Attorney-General and one who benefited from a remigrant’s tax waiver. It also turns out Mr. Mangal spends a lot of his time out of Guyana. This is precisely the kind of story that fuels the perception that an agency of the government is vindictively targeting its perceived enemies. When Mr. Kamal Mangal, who has connections to officials of the state is ignored but others are targeted it raises serious questions.
Yours faithfully,
Mike Persaud
