The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says it has received a number of reports from taxpayers within Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6 that a group of persons are visiting the areas posing as GRA/Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) Officials, while soliciting monies on behalf of the Authority.
According to the GRA no such exercise was sanctioned by them and Officers of the GRA are not authorized to collect monies from taxpayers since all payments of monies should be effected at GRA’s Regional offices or its Headquarters.
See GRA’s full statement below:
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has received a number of reports from taxpayers within Regions 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), 4 (Demerara/Mahaica), 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), that a group of persons are visiting the areas posing as GRA/Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) Officials.
The reports have indicated that while purporting to be conducting an official exercise comprising the counting of heads of cattle and number of pets owned by farmers and pet lovers, the group then demands an amount of $2,000 Value-Added-Tax (VAT) for each.
The GRA wishes to alert taxpayers and to inform them that the Agency presently has no such exercise in place. Anyone who encounters these individuals are advised to request proof of identification since all staff of the GRA are required to carry identification during the course of their duties. Additionally, it should be noted that Officers of the GRA are not authorized to collect monies from taxpayers since all payments of monies should be effected at GRA’s Regional offices or its Headquarters.
The Agency has also been taking measures through its Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) to address the issue. Taxpayers can be assured that the perpetrators, once located, will be dealt with.
