The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says it recently engaged staff of the Linden Municipality and the Linden Chamber of Commerce and Industry as it ended its 2018 Regional Tax Campaign.
A release on Friday from the GRA said that its August 13 campaign was facilitated by the Communication and Tax Advisory Services Division which focused on several topics relevant to procedures at the GRA and the 2018 tax laws and regulations.
At the meeting held with the Linden Municipality one of the key topics covered was the two percent withholding tax on resident contractors which the Town Council as a Central Authority may have to apply when outsourcing. GRA’s Tax Specialist Roopnarine Ramkishun led discussions in this area, speaking on the obligations of both the contractor and contractee and the entities and transactions that are exempt from this law.
The residents were also told of the current developments at the GRA’s branch office at Casuarina Drive, including the selling of a quantity of alcoholic beverages by way of Sealed Bids. The public was told that the winning bid would be subject to a $16 per Excise Stamp for each bottle. The rationale behind the introduction of the excise stamp was explained in detail at the workshops.
The release said that the engagement with the Linden Chamber of Commerce focused more on Trade and Miscellaneous Licences, in particular the recent passage of the Tax Amendment Bill which will allow the GRA to issue a provisional licence to small shops pending the grant of permits such as building permits and fire permits.
Discussion with the Chamber members enabled the Authority to gain feedback about its services and whether or not those services are working in the best interest of businesses in the Town, the release added.
