Dear Editor,
LOOK who is talking about “Let them pay”–Bharrat Jagdeo, leader of the PPP/C opposition party and the number one national hypocrite. His comment forms part of a response to the coalition government’s 2018 budgetary plan of granting amnesty to defaulting companies and individuals between January 01, 2018 to September 01, 2018, provided that they pay their principal taxes. Proposed in two parts, it will grant waivers to penalties and interests at 100% and 50%, respectively.

As I understand the erudite Minister of Finance, this is about offering defaulters an opportunity to make right with the Guyana Revenue Authority(GRA). It is no “deal”, as Jagdeo would want to mislead the people. Further, it is definite that these are indeed very large tax debts that have been accruing to these persons and companies for years, especially during the PPP/C period of governance.

It is not about excusing the right of tax obligation on the part of these defaulters, either. In fact, the Jagdeo policy was one of granting waivers and concessions to party supporters, friends and cronies, from among many in the private sector. In this way, billions have been lost to revenue. We are now experiencing the hurt from such gross maladministration.

I recall the shocking revelation of $60B being granted as waivers and concessions, between 2010 – 2014, to the friends of the PPP/C government. In the name of heavens, how could a poor, struggling nation as ours afford such a bounty? What was even more revealing, as reported by the GRA, was that visits to many of these defaulters, found them not to have used the waiver/concession for the purpose granted. They were caught cheating the tax coffers with a known dishonesty.

Since when Jagdeo has become so much concerned about defaulters paying their fair share of taxes. I do not recall any concern of his government about this category being publicly admonished to pay their taxes. The many programmes that have been implemented since 2015, with the aim of plugging the escape route of tax dodgers, point to the field day that these unpatriotic Guyanese had enjoyed. It is another aspect of the criminal state that is now being dismantled.

Regards
Earl Hamiliton