16% VAT still being charged on metered parking

By Stabroek News On In Guyana News |
The receipts retained after using a $580 Geo-park card for two separate parking transactions. The first, shows the use of the card for the payment of two hours at a cost of $464, leaving a balance of $116. The second receipt, shows the balance being used to further purchase of 30 minutes.
The receipts retained after using a $580 Geo-park card for two separate parking transactions. The first, shows the use of the card for the payment of two hours at a cost of $464, leaving a balance of $116. The second receipt, shows the balance being used to further purchase of 30 minutes.

Consumers are still paying Value Added Tax (VAT) at the rate of 16 percent as opposed to the reduced rate of 14 percent when purchasing Geo-park cards for parking in the city.

Last Tuesday, officials from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) met with representatives of Smart City Solutions (SCS) to address the company’s application of VAT to the metered parking service being implemented within the city.

This meeting followed consumers’ claims that VAT was being charged twice- once when the card is purchased and again at the parking meter.

However, Kit Nascimento, spokesman for SCS, explained that VAT is only being charged once:  when the card is purchased. Further, SCS has asked consumers to pay attention to the balance left on the parking meters for additional confirmation that VAT was not being charged there.