PERMIT me the time and space to express my profound gratitude to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for its continuous efforts in collaborating with the Ministry of Education to facilitate training to work study students. The Authority continues to provide a foreground for young persons to acquire much needed working skills. This has been the case over a number of years and helps to inculcate the dos and don’ts in the working environment, and foster communication not only among the work study students from various schools, but also among colleagues. Most importantly, the attachment provides students with the insight of the fundamental role the GRA plays in the collection of taxes and it contributions to further the development of our country.
Evidently however, GRA has been on the receiving end of mischievous allegations that only tarnishes it’s cooperate image. Granted there are unscrupulous persons within every organization, but I have noticed that some sectors of our society seem to be bent on presenting the Authority in a negative light. Prior to my attachment to the Guyana Revenue Authority, I was indoctrinated with the same abominable beliefs of the people around me who do not take the time to understand the rules and regulations that the Authority must adhere to.
My general belief having listened to persons around me was that the GRA’s main aim was to rob taxpayers of their hard earned money, full stop, and case closed. It was with this narrow minded view that I reluctantly accepted my attachment with the Authority. Much to my astonishment after having spent a mere five days attached to the Public Relations Department, I was surprised by the things I learnt.
The staff within this Department took the time out to inform me both by word of mouth and booklets published by the organizations of the taxes administered by the GRA. I had the opportunity to get first hand experience through the program “Focus on GRA” and workshops that afforded me the basis of understanding the importance of taxes.
The Guyana Revenue Authority is charged by the Government of Guyana with collecting ninety percent (90 %) of the total taxes generated by the country as a whole. I was surprised to learn that GRA is not responsible for creating the taxes they administer but rather these tax laws are created in Parliament and issued to the GRA through the Ministry of Finance.
Editor, it is my view however, that fellow Guyanese are shadowed by their greed and fail to realize how the collection of taxes facilitates the government’s expenditures as a means of developing our country. These taxes when collected by the authority help to build much needed schools, clinics or even hospitals in lesser developed communities. Moreover, these tax dollars are used to pay teachers, nurses, doctors, city engineers and city council workers.
GRA’s work offsets governments’ expenditure. Let’s take Mahdia into consideration, without taxes the government would not have been able to render assistance to approximately one hundred and fifty (150) persons affected by the fire.
Guyanese, I urge you to realize that without the collection of taxes we will definitely see the crumbling of our infrastructure. Moreover I urge Guyanese to understand the principles of the Authority and further seek to cooperate.