Mood tense at GRA

— more dismissals, transfers expected in weeks ahead

FOLLOWING Tuesday’s announcement of a major shake-up within the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the mood in the organisation is said to be tense as more dismissals and transfers are expected in the weeks ahead.

Reports are that the revenue body is likely to address staff performance at all levels of the entity, including its regional offices and persons within the GRA told this newspaper that some contracted employees are worried that their services may be terminated.

Reports are that the revenue body may replace contracted employees with new faces as the entity seeks to ensure improved performance at all levels of its operations.

Several staff at GRA’s Camp Street office noted that the shake-up was expected since the Board of the revenue body has been working to root out corrupt practices and improve revenue collection.

Staff members at out-of-town locations are also expected to be relocated/replaced in the weeks ahead, GRA sources said.

This publication was told that staff members were peeved at the dismissal of Head of Customs, Jameel Baksh whose services were terminated recently.

Reports are that Baksh was expected to retire from the GRA in August.
“That was strange and surprising,” one staff member told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, noting that the man may have lost his pensionable benefits in the process.

A senior customs officer, who was attached to the Law Enforcement and Investigations Division (LEID) of the GRA and who was previously fired and later reinstated at the GRA, was also dismissed recently by the revenue body.

The officer was fired under the Jagdeo administration, but was later reinstated during the Donald Ramotar administration’s term in office. The officer was said to be at the centre of the duty-free fiasco involving Kaieteur News publisher Glenn Lall regarding the importation of two vehicles under the duty-free concession scheme.

Reports are that the officer was also in the habit of leaking confidential information on the operations of the GRA to various persons, including sections of the media.

Board Chairman, Rawle Lucas told reporters on Monday that the services of Head of the Human Resources Management Division, Archana Joshi and Baksh were recently terminated following an in-depth review of GRA operations.

The GRA Board Chairman said the Board was dissatisfied with the rate of revenue collection and the poor conditions under which staff members have been forced to work, hence the decision to relieve Joshi and Baksh of their duties.

As a result, a decision was also made on Monday to appoint Hema Khan as Deputy Commissioner General. At the time of her appointment, Khan was serving as the Deputy Commissioner for Tax Operations and Services. The office of the Commissioner General still remains vacant. While interviews have been conducted, the candidates are still being evaluated.

Lucas told reporters that Head of the Law Enforcement and Investigative Division, Karen Chapman, will now oversee GRA’s transition programme. Through this transition programme, Chapman is expected to address many of the inefficiencies within the system.

According to GRA, Fitzroy Corlette, who has been functioning as the Head of Projects, will now head the Law Enforcement and Investigative Division, while international attorney, Lancelot Wills will now take over the Customs portfolio.

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