The Guyana Revenue Authority today issued a response to two reports in the Kaieteur News pertaining to containers cleared for the Chinese Embassy.
A press release from the GRA follows:
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has read with interest the Kaieteur News Articles of February 23, 2017 and February 24, 2017 entitled: “Chinese Embassy container imports attract GRA’s attention and Container racket… Collusion between Customs officers, brokers stymieing GRA’s crackdown on corruption” respectively.
On aspects concerning any references to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, the GRA wishes to re-iterate that the Chinese Embassy falls under the auspices of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and as such, GRA will not be issuing any comment thereon.
However, based on a close examination of certain aspects of what was reported, the Revenue Authority suspects that confidential information may have been leaked in violation of the Oath of Confidentiality and Secrecy outlined in Section 4 (1) of the INCOME TAX ACT, Chapter 81:01, and Section 23 of the Revenue Authority Act Cap. 79:04.
It is worth reminding the public at large that the mission of the GRA is to promote compliance with Guyana’s Tax, Trade and Border Laws and regulations, through education, quality service and responsible enforcement programmes, thereby contributing to the economic wellbeing of the people of Guyana.
We would be grateful for any evidence that Kaieteur News may have in its possession as it relates to the collusion and bribery of Customs officers, to be turned over to the GRA so as to enable us to conclude this investigation as early as possible.
