-Says 70-80 per cent of imported alcohol is smuggled
All is decidedly not well with aspects of the administration of the business sector in Guyana, according to the Chairman of the Economics and Finance Committee of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Ramesh Dookhoo. Addressing the opening of an Anti-Corruption Workshop hosted by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance at the Pegasus Hotel earlier this week, the veteran PSC executive member makes pointed reference to what he says is the prevailing unhappiness of the PSC with the breaches of various laws across the country. Dookhoo, purportedly, is concerned over what he asserts is the subjective application of laws by regulators. Specifically, Dookhoo is reportedly calling for increased penalties for those found culpable.
The situation, it would appear, has now become sufficiently troubling to have prompted the Private Sector Commission to create an Illicit Trade Desk which, according to the release on Dookhoo’s presentation, allows for the public to report issues perceived to be related to illicit trade. While Dookhoo is reported in his address as stating that the PSC is pleased with the ability of some government agencies to enforce the laws of Guyana, the application of this principle in the relationship between some private sector entities and state agencies with which they must interface continues to be the subject of ongoing controversy, much of it arising out of accusations of corrupt practices. Dookhoo, himself, in his address, is reported as alluding to the subjective manner in which some laws are applied.
In the course of his presentation the PSC official asserted that the private sector is unhappy with the manner in which many regulations are being breached across the country. Contextually, the PSC pointed to “smuggling” which he described as “an important part of illicit trade” and which he says targets ‘high duty items’ with alcohol being “at the top of the list.” According to Dookhoo “70 to 80 percent of all the expensive alcohol that comes into Guyana is smuggled alcohol” a circumstance which, he is quoted as saying, “puts a lot of pressure on dealers.” While they are pleased with the ability of some government agencies to enforce the laws of Guyana, he pointed out that some laws are applied subjectively by regulators.
