Plot to destroy Kaieteur News…Sattaur remains mum on e-mail revelations

Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, is in no way fazed by the calls for his resignation or articles published against him. He contends that whatever he does is covered in law.

GRA’s Commissioner-General Khurshid Sattaur receiving the Cacique Crown of Honour National Award from President Bharrat Jagdeo in October 2011.

Sattaur, during an interview, yesterday, maintained that whatever he does in the execution of his duties is covered in law and as such he has nothing to hide or to be afraid of.
Asked whether he denies that he did in fact share tax information of privately owned media houses with the former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Sattaur said, “No comment.”
Sattaur announced, too, that he is getting a lawyer to deal with the matter in court.
According to Sattaur, he is building a case against the Kaieteur News and its publisher Glenn Lall.
Sattaur said that he is in possession of a recorded conversation between himself and Lall. The contents of the conversation will not be published or shared but rather will be tendered as evidence in the court, he said.
Sattaur claims that Lall called him and threatened to expose him.
According to Sattaur, whatever he has done in the course of his duty had been within the confines of the law.
“Let them dig more and write what they want…Let them write it in ‘dem boys’,” said Sattaur.
This publication on Sunday last, published a redacted email sent from Sattaur to Jagdeo, where he divulged tax information of several privately-owned media houses.
In another email, this time with Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Sattaur informed him that he had provided the former President with “information which I would expect he treats with the utmost confidentiality.”
According to the email, Sattaur informs Nandlall that “since we are in this thing together, I see no harm in sharing this with you. However, further to the assurances you have given me that the Government will be pursuing the newspaper for libel and other offences of a criminal nature, I will await the determination of such action before I provide you with the details on Kaieteur News. Of course I am deeply indebted to the Government for the confidence it places in me to continue to execute my duties as CG.”

Glenn Lall

He is further quoted as saying “I spoke with the honourable BJ and he suggested that the recent outrageous article published on me should for “media purposes” be attributed to the impending major audit of the Kaieteur News which in his usual irregular and surreptitious manner the newspaper was able to uncover….Please note however, unless there is a major gag order from the court with a threat of maximum imprisonment, I am not prepared to have this most recent proposed action made public…This as they say in proverbial language is likely to break the camel’s back and the individual may go berserk.”
Sattaur had sought to defend his actions saying that while the Income Tax laws make provision for certain tax information to be treated as confidential, there are several exceptions to this general rule.
Specifically, under S4 of the Income Tax Act a disclosure to the state is not prohibited, a disclosure for the purposes of the administration of the Act is allowed and a disclosure to any person with the authorization of the president is permitted under the law. These exceptions are further extended by the Revenue Authority Act, Act No. 13 of 1996. Under S23 of this Act disclosure is further allowed in four instances.
Checks with Office of the President revealed that there was no such request by Head of State, Donald Ramotar.
Ever since the damning revelations at least one political party has called for Sattaur’s resignation as the head of GRA.
According to some lawyers, the information disclosed by the GRA Commissioner-General to Jagdeo, represents a grave breach of the ‘Oath of Secrecy’ sworn to by Sattaur as an officer of the Guyana Revenue Authority.
In taking the Oath, Sattaur solemnly declared that he would “truly, faithfully, impartially and honestly execute the powers vested in him.”  He also swore not to disclose any tax information concerning any taxpayer.
The ruling People’s Progressive Party, would want to ensure the authenticity of the emails first.