— from used tyre ban until next year, says GRA boss

GUYANA Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia,has said that there will be no reduction in revenue from the used-tyre industry until next year, since many importers/dealers have stockpiled the product.
Speaking at a recent press briefing, Statia said importers/dealers of used tyres were given adequate notice before the ban was imposed and enforced and some opted to import a mammoth amount of used tyres.

One dealer, he said, had imported 11 containers of used tyres after the ban was enforced and as such, was given a “one-off” fine of $600 per every tyre.
The “one-off” fine was a reduction of the initial fine of $1000 per tyre, after the dealer had appealed to the authority.
The fines for the importation of used tyres, however, are actually $10,000 for cars, vans and mini-buses and $15,000 for SUVs and pick-up trucks.
Statia said the GRA has systems in place to nab those who flout the laws regarding the ban on used tyres.

Deputy Commissioner of Customs and Trade Administration, Rohan Beekhoo, said the authority has employed several measures to control such misdemeanours and ensure that the correct procedures are followed.
These measures include customs examinations at wharves, ports of entry and premises, where examiners are equipped with tyre-depth gauges to ensure standards are confirmed.
According to the ban, vehicles with used tyres must have a minimum tyre depth of 6mm to conform to standards.

Many persons, especially dealers of used tyres, had lamented that it would cost them more to import new tyres.
Reports indicate that the used-tyre industry had provided jobs for hundreds of persons and contributes millions in revenue.
The Guyana Used Tyres Association had also claimed that as many persons could become jobless when the ban on importation of used tyres becomes effective and had appealed to government to rethink the ban.

But Beekhoo explained that persons would not be affected much, since the import duty on new tyres has been reduced from 30 per cent to 15 per cent. The ban on importation of used tyres was implemented to reduce road accidents.
It was enforced for dealers on April 1, but the GRA had allowed a two-month extension period, until June 1, for vehicles that were bought with used tyres before that date.