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FM
Former Member

“Free-for-all” fuel business in Region One… Aircraft operators have been breaching Customs Act for years …GRA Boss

For more than 20 years, Region One has been a “free-for-all” port for those involved in the fuel industry. But that is about to change says, GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia.

The tax chief told Kaieteur News that many who are

Roraima Airways Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Captain Gerry Gouveia

part of the trade, such as aircraft owners, would have no choice but to alter the manner in which they have been dealing with the sector.

Expounding further, Statia said that aircraft owners who have been shuttling fuel in the Region, have been in breach of the Customs Act for years now.

The tax chief said, “As you know, we were losing billions of dollars in taxes on fuel passing through Mabaruma and Eteringbang. With an office and effective systems in place at Mabaruma, we have been able to close a lot of loopholes while saving on taxes. We are now collecting taxes on all fuel passing in there.

“Now we are trying to close the Eteringbang loophole which is why I am speaking with the aircraft owners to come in for a meeting. They are the ones shuttling the fuel in those locations. I made it clear to them that shuttling the fuel there is a breach of the Customs Act and I can seize their planes. They have been ferrying uncustomed fuel along the border. It has been a free-for-all for years and it needs to stop.”

The Guyana Revenue Authority noted that Air Services Limited and Roraima Airways have been shuttling fuel along the Region One Border for some time now.

WAY FORWARD

Roraima Airways Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Captain Gerry Gouveia told Kaieteur News yesterday that he was part of the GRA meeting which he found to be “quite cordial.”

“They wanted the help of the private sector in trying to regularize what happens on the border and they came up with a solution that we are totally in agreement with. The Commissioner General and his team will eventually release the details on the strategy but I can say now that it will help small miners (in the area who are in constant need of fuel).”

The Roraima Airways Captain also provided some perspective on the shuttling of fuel along the border. He noted that the area is home to a host of mining activities and the cost of bringing fuel from Georgetown to that part of the country is astronomical. He noted that this is what led to the shuttling of fuel within the area, a practice that has been ongoing for years. He likened it to a “free-zone.”

“All we do is, people charter our plane and we take it in the various areas…GRA wants to help the operators…They (GRA) will have a meeting with the miners. It was all done in good faith and the miners will be happy with the effort by GRA.”

He insisted that the work of GRA is to get the process regularized.

ESTABLISHING OFFICES

There have been accelerated moves by the revenue authority to open new offices in the Region One area.

The GRA Boss told Kaieteur News that the offices are critical as Guyana loses close to $3B a year through the Eteringbang area. “It is strictly fuel that comes from Venezuela and sold to the gold mining industry and we don’t get the taxes there,” the tax chief expressed. He noted too, that GRA does not collect taxes on the fuel going into the Morowhanna area.

The situation in Region One is one that has existed for over 15 years.

Statia in a previous interview had said that the nation is actually losing approximately $40M in taxes every week on fuel at just those two ports in Region One.

He informed this newspaper that the matter is being looked at with moves being made to have the necessary infrastructure and officials in place.

This matter was also one that was raised by the Tax Reform Commission which was established by the Granger administration. The Tax Committee included the likes of Statia, economist Dr. Thomas Singh, Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram and Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Dr. Maurice Odle.

According to the Commission, excise taxation of petroleum products in Guyana is quite distorted with a range of exemptions for particular industries and, at least in one case, an entire region.

The Committee was informed by the Guyana Revenue Authority that fuel and other items entering Region One attract no tax, a practice which was allowed by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and which continues.

Needless to say, the Commission said that this practice is completely unlawful and recommends its immediate cessation.

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That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

sachin_05
Last edited by sachin_05
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

FM
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

sachin_05
Last edited by sachin_05

You guys have to understand, fuel from GT ends up costing over double GT costs so the Venezuelan channel opened up.

Without the cheaper fuel, smaller operators cannot survive when gold prices dip.   The PPP understood the economics and let it be as long as the gold keeps coming.  It was an unofficial subsidy.  If this current hapless govt wants to address, then build bulk storage in the interior so operators can access affordable fuel.  

This govt could over do and kill the goose, as they once did.  

FM

I am against any form of corruption and thiefing but with all these savings of Taxes where does it go.

The GRA is like a leach on our businesses  who comply and pay  taxes but they do not go after the pavement vendors , who pays no taxes .

there is no money in the government account .. they are offering amnesty and is raping every Indo businesses .

Businessmen are leaving the country and invest else where . We have just put on hold a massive multi complex 30 floors project on hold,  there  is no guarantee of return .Imports have drop by 40% . 

We suggest to the Energy minister with the interest of dozens of oil companies , have one of them put down the oil refinery ( thousands of jobs for locals ) and give that person the contract to drill . He left looking at us like a moon gazer .

The banks don’t have more than $1500. in foreign currency to sell . You have to buy on the street and declear more than $10,000. 

FM
ronan posted:

“It is strictly fuel that comes from Venezuela and sold to the gold mining industry and we don’t get the taxes there”

But they get the gold.  So Statia should not squeeze blood from a flea. He just won big on Yasin.  

FM

The PNC have always been adept at sorting out ways of extorting money   form the people using the apparatus of the state. This is just a clandestine way of taking a cut from the poor miners and big operators who eke out a living in the gold mines. The little guys will suffer and go out of business. The big wheels will grease the hands of the customs officials and get away with the taxes that they are supposed to pay. When they government is supposed to collect 10 million dollars they will show a million. 4 million goes into the hands of the government crooks and the business saves 5 million.  Guyanese business model.   Think of it as "CHANGE".

Billy Ram Balgobin
Billy Ram Balgobin posted:

The PNC have always been adept at sorting out ways of extorting money   form the people using the apparatus of the state. This is just a clandestine way of taking a cut from the poor miners and big operators who eke out a living in the gold mines. The little guys will suffer and go out of business. The big wheels will grease the hands of the customs officials and get away with the taxes that they are supposed to pay. When they government is supposed to collect 10 million dollars they will show a million. 4 million goes into the hands of the government crooks and the business saves 5 million.  Guyanese business model.   Think of it as "CHANGE".

The PNC are officially sanctioned extortionists!

FM
sachin_05 posted:
Mitwah posted:

This is  bullshit. You do not reward bad behaviour. 

Good government include the US find ways to subsidize industries where the benefits out weigh the taxes....

These clowns 🤡 and their supporters, like mitwah, are myopic small thinkers!

FM
Baseman posted:
ronan posted:

“It is strictly fuel that comes from Venezuela and sold to the gold mining industry and we don’t get the taxes there”

But they get the gold.  So Statia should not squeeze blood from a flea. He just won big on Yasin.  

The answers you get from some #%+ shows  clearly their intellect in economics and business management .

FM
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

People are ill informed and jump to cookie-cutter solutions.  The PPP could have shut that trade down but chose not to, for reasons I already stated.  They knew it would have driven smaller operators out of business.  The PPP was more in touch with the ground reality of these operators.  As long as the gold kept coming, it was worth it.  

Killing off small operators would have thrown many young blacks out of work.  They would have turned to criminality for survival or joined the PNC Buxton terror gangs and killed more Indians.  

Guyana is not all buttoned up so some looseness needs to be tolerated or you risk strangulation.  

FM
Baseman posted:

Killing off small operators would have thrown many young blacks out of work. They would have turned to criminality for survival or joined the PNC Buxton terror gangs and killed more Indians.  

baseman . . . just a little reminder of yourself to contemplate when next you feel the urge to start whining that you are not a reflexive anti-Black racist

FM
Last edited by Former Member
ronan posted:
Baseman posted:

Killing off small operators would have thrown many young blacks out of work. They would have turned to criminality for survival or joined the PNC Buxton terror gangs and killed more Indians.  

baseman . . . just a little reminder of yourself to contemplate when next you feel the urge to start whining that you are not a reflexive anti-Black racist

There is racism and there is truth. Black youths need to be employed.  If not, thing could go awfully wrong.  

A black Guyanese woman here had her car window smash and stuff stolen by a black youth.  She said these black youths need to be working or they go off tiefing.  

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Baseman posted:
ronan posted:
Baseman posted:

Killing off small operators would have thrown many young blacks out of work. They would have turned to criminality for survival or joined the PNC Buxton terror gangs and killed more Indians.  

baseman . . . just a little reminder of yourself to contemplate when next you feel the urge to start whining that you are not a reflexive anti-Black racist

There is racism and there is truth. Black youths need to be employed.  If not, thing could go awfully wrong.  

A black Guyanese woman here had her car window smash and stuff stolen by a black youth.  She said these black youths need to be working or they go off tiefing.  

what i posted previous remains "truth!" . . . your attempt  at rebuttal is a ticket to redherringland

and btw, Black and Indian youths need to be employed . . ., no?

like i said, what ails you is reflexive

you are what you are 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Labba posted:

Hey hey hey...9000 gallans aile ayoo ketch and ayoo see criminal state all dat while Grangah mekkin a dictatorship and plan foh rig de eleckshun. Hey hey hey...

context please

flapping yuh gums loud and often about "dictatorship" don't make it so

FM
Last edited by Former Member
ronan posted:
Labba posted:

Hey hey hey...9000 gallans aile ayoo ketch and ayoo see criminal state all dat while Grangah mekkin a dictatorship and plan foh rig de eleckshun. Hey hey hey...

English and context please

thanks

Go to KN and read dem report pon Thomas poor midiocare article bout criminal state. 9000 gallans only? Hey hey hey...

FM
Labba posted:
ronan posted:
Labba posted:

Hey hey hey...9000 gallans aile ayoo ketch and ayoo see criminal state all dat while Grangah mekkin a dictatorship and plan foh rig de eleckshun. Hey hey hey...

English and context please

thanks

Go to KN and read dem report pon Thomas poor midiocare article bout criminal state. 9000 gallans only? Hey hey hey...

what about 9000 gallons you find dispositive?

FM
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

"We were running molasses out of Havana when you were a baby . . . the trucks owned by your father" (Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone in The Godfather)

following your logic, i guess Don Corleone's fictional operation here was 'merely' mule or "shuttle" work

Gerry G's PR mussbe better than i thought 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

"We were running molasses out of Havana when you were a baby . . . the trucks owned by your father" (Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone in The Godfather)

following your logic, i guess Don Corleone's fictional operation here was 'merely' mule or "shuttle" work

Gerry G's PR mussbe better than i thought 

I am not fan of Gerry G, PPP or the current regime. I call it as it see it. The Gerry G's actually got noting to lose, they will still collect transportation fees from any location for fuel taxed or otherwise. I see the Government loss of revenue from fuel tax yes, but taxing miners fuel without giving them an alternative - run them out of business would also be a grater loss to foreign exchange.

 

sachin_05
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

"We were running molasses out of Havana when you were a baby . . . the trucks owned by your father" (Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone in The Godfather)

following your logic, i guess Don Corleone's fictional operation here was 'merely' mule or "shuttle" work

Gerry G's PR mussbe better than i thought 

I am not fan of Gerry G, PPP or the current regime. I call it as it see it. The Gerry G's actually got noting to lose, they will still collect transportation fees from any location for fuel taxed or otherwise. I see the Government loss of revenue from fuel tax yes, but taxing miners fuel without giving them an alternative - run them out of business would also be a grater loss to foreign exchange.

 

Tell he rass deh. He leff Guyana 40 years ago and ah talking nuff nuff shyte. You fambly gatt dem drudge fuh operate and need cheap gas.  Blood tiker dann waata?

FM
Last edited by Former Member
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

"We were running molasses out of Havana when you were a baby . . . the trucks owned by your father" (Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone in The Godfather)

following your logic, i guess Don Corleone's fictional operation here was 'merely' mule or "shuttle" work

Gerry G's PR mussbe better than i thought 

I am not fan of Gerry G, PPP or the current regime. I call it as it see it. The Gerry G's actually got noting to lose, they will still collect transportation fees from any location for fuel taxed or otherwise. I see the Government loss of revenue from fuel tax yes, but taxing miners fuel without giving them an alternative - run them out of business would also be a grater loss to foreign exchange.

amazing how easily excuses are found for criminal behavior

when will y'all understand that acquiescence to this coarse and open lawbreaking hollows out the integrity of law enforcement in much the same way PPP winking at/enabling narco traffickers practically destroyed the police force

big money is being made by fuel smugglers

nothing to do with gold mining . . . this special pleading by interested parties is a CON!

and make no mistake, selective enforcement of the law is not benign . . . we are picking winners and losers here

wanna bet that the new enforcement regime WILL NOT cripple the small miners much less the gold mining industry?

THAT is the testament most posting on this thread will be silent about in the future 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

"We were running molasses out of Havana when you were a baby . . . the trucks owned by your father" (Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone in The Godfather)

following your logic, i guess Don Corleone's fictional operation here was 'merely' mule or "shuttle" work

Gerry G's PR mussbe better than i thought 

I am not fan of Gerry G, PPP or the current regime. I call it as it see it. The Gerry G's actually got noting to lose, they will still collect transportation fees from any location for fuel taxed or otherwise. I see the Government loss of revenue from fuel tax yes, but taxing miners fuel without giving them an alternative - run them out of business would also be a grater loss to foreign exchange.

amazing how easily excuses are found for criminal behavior

when will y'all understand that acquiescence to this coarse and open lawbreaking hollows out the integrity of law enforcement in much the same way PPP winking at/enabling narco traffickers practically destroyed the police force

big money is being made by fuel smugglers

nothing to do with gold mining . . . this special pleading by interested parties is a CON!

and make no mistake, selective enforcement of the law is not benign . . . we are picking winners and losers here

wanna bet that the new enforcement regime WILL NOT cripple the small miners much less the gold mining industry?

THAT is the testament most posting on this thread will be silent about in the future 

Dem are the type of guys who while in a crowded elevator would break farts while wearing earphones with music blaring in their ears and think no one heard them. Just shut things out and all is well.

cain
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:
ronan posted:
sachin_05 posted:

That might sound like a good strategy but it would back fire. Gold is the number one foreign exchange earner where the whole country benefits in the long run. The mining sector is the only one that benefits from cheap fuel in that region, should be consider a blessing but this is PNC in action - kill the goose that lay the golden egg to pay their 50% raise.... 

you support the taxpayer ripoff that goes directly into the pockets of Jerry Gouveia and the Mazaharallys?

No. it dos'nt goes it those guys pockets. They get paid for charter their plane to transport the merchandise/fuel, they are smart enough not get caught  selling fuel... 

"We were running molasses out of Havana when you were a baby . . . the trucks owned by your father" (Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone in The Godfather)

following your logic, i guess Don Corleone's fictional operation here was 'merely' mule or "shuttle" work

Gerry G's PR mussbe better than i thought 

I am not fan of Gerry G, PPP or the current regime. I call it as it see it. The Gerry G's actually got noting to lose, they will still collect transportation fees from any location for fuel taxed or otherwise. I see the Government loss of revenue from fuel tax yes, but taxing miners fuel without giving them an alternative - run them out of business would also be a grater loss to foreign exchange.

amazing how easily excuses are found for criminal behavior

when will y'all understand that acquiescence to this coarse and open lawbreaking hollows out the integrity of law enforcement in much the same way PPP winking at/enabling narco traffickers practically destroyed the police force

big money is being made by fuel smugglers

nothing to do with gold mining . . . this special pleading by interested parties is a CON!

and make no mistake, selective enforcement of the law is not benign . . . we are picking winners and losers here

wanna bet that the new enforcement regime WILL NOT cripple the small miners much less the gold mining industry?

THAT is the testament most posting on this thread will be silent about in the future 

sachin_05

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