THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) said it has been working to improve operations at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) scanner site in wake of concerns raised by businesses in the vicinity of Lombard Street being impeded.

In a statement, GRA apologised to the many stakeholders for the inconvenience while noting that it is presently in discussion with its sister agencies to alleviate and or resolve the concerns expeditiously while at the same time, meet its mandate and obligations with international maritime agreements and trade.

In addition to traffic congestion relief utilising wardens, the GRA staff at the scanning facility will be working beyond official hours each day and between traffic lag and lead times. A booking system will also be introduced to complete scanning of containers, thereby lending to some immediate relief, GRA said.

“GRA also wishes to assure the general public that the radiation levels of the present “NUCTECH MT1213LT” scanner are well in conformity with the standards recommended by international organisations, including the International Automatic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Additionally, the components and shielding facilities of the scanner, and the system boundaries allow for the maximum dose of less than 2.5uSv/h within those boundaries.”

Radiation dose devices will be in place to allow for constant monitoring. Moreover, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be actively involved to ensure that the said levels are and remain safe. The present site is therefore appropriate for scanning with no immediate threat to the health and safety of persons living and traversing in the area. The general public can be assured that the GRA will do its utmost to enable a “win win” situation for all parties.