–vows to ensure Agency’s mandate is carried out to the letter

THE Alliance for Change (AFC) yesterday called for the resignation of Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Khurshid Sattaur.Penning a statement in response, Sattaur said the call is not only malicious but borders on intimidation.
The resignation call was first made public by the Online news site, News Source Guyana. According to the News Source article, quoting the AFC, “There is incontrovertible evidence as to the scandalous levels of this seemingly highly orchestrated illegal and vile campaign of fear and intimidation which reaches the highest level of government.”
But according to the Commissioner-General, he is not aware of any such “incontrovertible evidence”. He then went on to say that it is rather duplicitous of the AFC to be calling on the GRA, on the one hand, to ensure that taxes are collected from all in a fair manner, and yet, instead of standing up in support when such evasions are discovered, the focus is diverted to attack the Agency on perceived revelation of information purportedly emanating from the GRA.
“The GRA wishes to assure the public that the GRA is mandated to uphold the public trust, and will continue to do so,” he said, adding: “I will continue to carry out my duties as outlined in the mandate of the Revenue Authority, since failure to do so would be tantamount to abdication of his responsibilities.”
He concluded by saying: “It is unfair that in carrying out my mandate, it also requires me to exercise my mandate against persons who are intent on bulliyism as a form of intimidation. However, this will not be condoned, and any such acts will be spoken against.”