REFERENCE is made to a letter published in your newspaper dated August 30, 2012 and captioned “Passport office and the Berbice Bridge.” The letter written by Mr. Ray Chickrie, stated that “Berbicians are bitterly complaining about the long journey to Georgetown to the passport and motor vehicle offices’ and further, that ‘unless one is not willing to bribe, the process can’t be expedited quickly and that they are intimidated not to do so”.
Mr. Editor, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) applauds Mr. Chickrie on bringing the issue to the public’s and by extension, the GRA’s attention.  Notwithstanding this, the GRA believes it is an unfair assessment of the process for obtaining documents for motor vehicles from the authorised motor vehicle licensing authority which falls under the purview of the GRA.

The GRA cannot speak for other entities mentioned in Mr. Chickrie’s letter. However, as it relates to GRA’s Regional Integrated offices countrywide, including New Amsterdam, these offices have been dealing with motor vehicle related services for some time now and have been providing other licensing services in their respective locations to facilitate taxpayers.

Despite publications and advertisements released by the agency, it seems the general public is still unaware that they can access the aforementioned services at our regional offices.

In the case of the bribery allegations, the GRA has a zero tolerance policy against bribery. In fact, the agency recently published notices that members of the public should desist from offering incentives, in the form of cash or kind, to its Officers. Officers requesting such must be reported by members of the public. The only monies members of the public are expected to pay are the fees charged for licensing services or applicable duties or taxes, as is necessary. When such payments are necessary, it must be made to a GRA Cashier and a receipt must be obtained.

The GRA hereby wishes to inform the general public that should any officer solicit incentives to expedite or process transactions, they can contact the Enforcement Hotline on 226-2060.