AT the height of forensic audits being conducted at State agencies, following the APNU+AFC’s assumption to office, Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, has been sent on accumulative leave which took effect yesterday. But according to Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, during an interview with News Source yesterday, Sattaur will be accompanied by more than 20 other staff who currently works at the financial agency.

Hon. Winston DaCosta Jordan, Minister of Finance

It was revealed that the Commissioner’s leave had accumulated to three weeks, while that for the other officers varied between 100-300 days. According to the News Source report, Jordan noted that a decision was taken to allow those persons to take up the leave that is owed to them. He further stated that the Authority cannot allow leave to be building up for its officers. “These folks are not the President who might just allow leave to keep building up and building up. They need to take their leave and come back refreshed and renewed. We cannot keep allowing people to just not take their leave,” the Finance Minister said yesterday. The Minister was keen to note however, that the move taken was not part of the restructuring that is in place for GRA. Meanwhile, Sattaur responded to the report, disclosing that he was not sent on leave, but requested it, as is a normal practice. “I was not sent on leave” the GRA head said, adding that “I requested my leave and I normally take my leave around now when others have already taken their leave.” He further stated that there are other senior managers who would have had long accumulated leave and if the leave which they have qualified for is not taken, they will have to forfeit it. Sattaur offered that he does not “fault” the current Administration for wanting to regularise the leave. In fact, he related that he does not like the idea of GRA officers not taking their leave which they are eligible for. As such, the Commissioner stated that there is not going to be any deferral of leave from now on. Just last month, Sattaur had been criticised for his “lack of professionalism” in handling the country’s tax affairs by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, during a radio programme, Hard Talk, aired on 90.1FM. Staying clear of recommending Sattaur’s dismissal, the Prime Minister highlighted the Commissioner’s move last year to share private tax information with a former President on a private media house, noting that public criticisms which followed were warranted. “You’re dealing with the efficacy of public funds, you’re collecting the people’s money and you’re holding the people’s purse. If you desecrate the high office and you demean the function that you hold, then I would expect that you didn’t need the axe to fall, you should go,” Nagamootoo said on the radio programme. The Prime Minister had explained too that while expectations had mounted, regarding the dismissal of Sattaur and other public office holders, for alleged infractions committed against the Guyanese public, there is a procedure which must be followed. Just last week the GRA announced the shutting down of the Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad because of poor performance over the past three years. The work that was done by BASS will now be carried out by the Regional office of the GRA Enforcement unit. Only last week, a statement from GRA informed the public that an examination of the effectiveness of Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS) revealed that the unit was performing below expectation, with a rapid decrease in revenue collection over the period 2012–2015, and as such, was not deemed feasible to continue operations.

By Ravin Singh