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FM
Former Member

Mr. Lucas has abused his authority at GRA


lettersDEAR EDITOR,
In this period of economic downturn being experienced by Guyana and low revenue collection as being persistently publicised by Rawle Lucas, Chairman of GRA’s Governing Board, I was flabbergasted to learn of the reported benefits enjoyed by Mr. Lucas.
He is assigned a GRA vehicle for his personal and professional use. The vehicle is with Mr. Lucas on a 24-hour basis and all fuel, maintenance and repairs are paid for by the Facilities Management Unit of the GRA.
Mr. Lucas’s position as Chairman of GRA’s Governing Board is non-executive, and therefore he is not authorized to make decisions without consultation and approval of the majority of the Board Members.
Decisions such as the recent appointment of Ms. Hema Khan as Deputy Commissioner-General and Mr. Lancelot Wills as the Deputy Commissioner Customs Excise and Trade Operations, were all reportedly done solely by Mr. Lucas, and not the Board. He is only required to be present at GRA once per month and is paid a stipend for his travel or taxi. Despite a vehicle being assigned him, his personal assistant, Ms. Alfred, is reportedly using a vehicle from GRA to carry out her activities.
Mr. Lucas, from indications, had GRA pay to carpet his office at Critchlow Labour College, purchase a sofa set, filing cabinets, refrigerator and computer for his personal use.
It should be noted that Mr. Lucas is also employed at Critchlow Labour College, University of Guyana and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also receives a steady supply of stationery and drinking water from the GRA. It should be misfeasance in public office for him to demand so much from GRA.
To reinforce his recent public admission that he distrusts GRA employees, the Chairman reportedly transferred the clerk assigned to the Corporate Secretary and replaced her with another one. The transferred clerk had been with the Corporate Secretary for three years.
The woman he employs as his Personal Assistant is his student at the University of Guyana. This is a major conflict of interest and should be noted by the University of Guyana.
Mr. Lucas has made it public knowledge that he does not trust the staff of GRA, so he has to employ his trusted people to work with him. No other Chairman of GRA has ever asked for or gotten these benefits. These all add up to an abuse of power and a misuse of authority, no wonder the revenue collection at GRA is at an all time low – it is the attitude.
Mr. Lucas’s action of selective dismissal of employees of the GRA has resulted in a marked decrease in employees’ morale and is even seen in some quarters as prejudiced.
Name Withheld

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Granger says corruption not confined to public sector

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com...-public-sector_62464

“Corruption must therefore be confronted. This task will not be easy. Corruption is resilient and highly resistant to efforts of eradication. Its roots have penetrated deep into the subsoil of national life. It must be uprooted if Guyanese are to have a chance at the good life,” Granger remarked at the launch of the publication,
 
“We accept that corruption is corrosive because it weakens the enforcement of the law. It weakens our democratic values. It weakens our accountability and transparency. It weakens public trust in Government and the institutions of government.

 
 The President preaches and no one listens.
Waiting for response from GRA.

 

Django

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

FM
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

Stormy, his argument that he distrusts the staff at GRA begs the question of what does trust have to do with him executing his duties at GRA. But on the other more substantial issue, how do you feel about his seemingly misappropriation of GRA assets? Sattaur is gone from GRA for reasons including misappropriation of GRA assets. Using Sattaur as cover for Lucas seems like a bad idea.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

Do not defend for the sake of defending.

Chief
ksazma posted:
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

Stormy, his argument that he distrusts the staff at GRA begs the question of what does trust have to do with him executing his duties at GRA. But on the other more substantial issue, how do you feel about his seemingly misappropriation of GRA assets? Sattaur is gone from GRA for reasons including misappropriation of GRA assets. Using Sattaur as cover for Lucas seems like a bad idea.

Trust in our society is crap. Here is a essentially a PPP "owned" organization being taken over so why should he trust them? He and his crew will definitely be booted if the PPP regains power. That is the status quo and while not healthy it is the one we have.

Satteur was a crook. No one complained at his crookedness. He had five of his family, in his office. He misused his office for political ends.  His office was a den of PPP hacks who used their position to harass people like Freddi etc. I would fire all of their behinds.

FM
Chief posted:
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

Do not defend for the sake of defending.

THere is nothing to defend. The complaint here is he and his assistant have cars. Satteur had five or more. The complaint is he has an assistant in another office...so what? Tell me when he begins to investigate someone as satteur did, for political ends and then I will be asking for him to be booted

FM
Stormborn posted:
Chief posted:
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

Do not defend for the sake of defending.

THere is nothing to defend. The complaint here is he and his assistant have cars. Satteur had five or more. The complaint is he has an assistant in another office...so what? Tell me when he begins to investigate someone as satteur did, for political ends and then I will be asking for him to be booted

"He is only required to be present at GRA once per month and is paid a stipend for his travel or taxi.

Despite a vehicle being assigned him, his personal assistant, Ms. Alfred, is reportedly using a vehicle from GRA to carry out her activities.


Mr. Lucas, from indications, had GRA pay to carpet his office at Critchlow Labour College, purchase a sofa set, filing cabinets, refrigerator and computer for his personal use."


 

Lucas is the Chairman of GRA Board,why all this spiff he is getting.

Django
Django posted:
Stormborn posted:
Chief posted:
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

Do not defend for the sake of defending.

THere is nothing to defend. The complaint here is he and his assistant have cars. Satteur had five or more. The complaint is he has an assistant in another office...so what? Tell me when he begins to investigate someone as satteur did, for political ends and then I will be asking for him to be booted

"He is only required to be present at GRA once per month and is paid a stipend for his travel or taxi.

Despite a vehicle being assigned him, his personal assistant, Ms. Alfred, is reportedly using a vehicle from GRA to carry out her activities.


Mr. Lucas, from indications, had GRA pay to carpet his office at Critchlow Labour College, purchase a sofa set, filing cabinets, refrigerator and computer for his personal use."


 

Lucas is the Chairman of GRA Board,why all this spiff he is getting.

There is a fellow at GGMC who spent millions on food and drinks and indirectly give himself some thousands of hectares of land and he is on the job. That bitch needs to go. Lucas is doing nothing outside his purview. Lets hope there is an accounting so when he is fired, government equipment is returned.

The problem here is the PPP never developed a central HR department where all requests for furnishings or payments for stipends etc would have oversight and be recorded for posterity. They used NCN cash to create a whole private off shoot news service owned by RObert Persaud family.

If lucas is committing crimes, detail them not list what he is doing. List the  laws or process he is taking advantage of. It may be the process itself that is broken. It lets the offices of government be incubators of crooks.

 

 

 

FM

Long Live The PNC.  And to those who put them in their position of authority.  Guyana is exactly where you all wanted it to be and you all have no credibility to complain.  Because it reveals pure hypocrisy.  Keep cheering on the dictatorship.

Bibi Haniffa
Bibi Haniffa posted:

Long Live The PNC.  And to those who put them in their position of authority.  Guyana is exactly where you all wanted it to be and you all have no credibility to complain.  Because it reveals pure hypocrisy.  Keep cheering on the dictatorship.

Most of the people are speaking out,what were you doing when your crew were filling their pockets ?

Django
Last edited by Django

The point is that you were swearing to almighty God that Granger and his crew were the answer to all of Guyana's problems.  You accused innocent people of wrongdoing when none of it was true.  So live with who you supported.

Bibi Haniffa
Stormborn posted:
Chief posted:
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

Do not defend for the sake of defending.

THere is nothing to defend. The complaint here is he and his assistant have cars. Satteur had five or more. The complaint is he has an assistant in another office...so what? Tell me when he begins to investigate someone as satteur did, for political ends and then I will be asking for him to be booted

This new Government promised change.

You, me and the rest of the world are aware of the excesses and squander mania by the  PPP and administrators like Sattaur. A concerned citizen ringing a bell about Government /Civil  Servants is certainly welcomed and should be investigated.   

Chief
Bibi Haniffa posted:

Long Live The PNC.  And to those who put them in their position of authority.  Guyana is exactly where you all wanted it to be and you all have no credibility to complain.  Because it reveals pure hypocrisy.  Keep cheering on the dictatorship.

Indeed may they live long and prosper...if but at half the thieving capacity of the PPP!

FM

The PNC will never work hard and achieve what the PPP did.  It's just not in their DNA.  You need to provide some proof of what the PPP thief as one of these days you might have to prove it, since you repeated it often enough!

Bibi Haniffa
Bibi Haniffa posted:

The PNC will never work hard and achieve what the PPP did.  It's just not in their DNA.  You need to provide some proof of what the PPP thief as one of these days you might have to prove it, since you repeated it often enough!

Why don't you tell Bharat to sue me so I can have one of my friends depose his thieving behind. Since you are a geneticist, tell me where is this sequence that codes for work that you know of.

FM

‘As Chairman of the Board I am paid a monthly stipend of $10,500 by GRA’

By
 

Dear Editor,

I am responding to a letter published in Kaieteur News on July 9, 2016, entitled ‘Mr. Lucas has abused his authority at GRA’.

I will not address insinuations that come from an anonymous person.  However, I feel that there is a need for the public to understand the context in which I deliver service to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) as its Board Chairman.  I will start by pointing out that I am paid a monthly stipend of G$10,500 which is equivalent to US$51.00 by GRA after taxes are deducted. Please note that I pay taxes on the stipend.  That amount is not even close to the minimum wage, but I accepted it because of the confidence that was placed in me to help make GRA a better place for staff and taxpayers.

I use the stipend that I get to buy gas and pay for basic maintenance of the car that I drive.  GRA does not buy gas for me.  It offered to do so and I refused the offer.  I turn in the vehicle to GRA whenever I am not using it.  I also wish to state that, at the beginning of my term, GRA offered me benefits far greater than the stipend I receive and I refused them too.

Further, while the Board meets once per month, GRA sends substantial amounts of work to me on a daily basis which requires my attention and preparation for Board meetings and other engagements. On occasions, the management of GRA requests my presence at its headquarters for meetings as often as three times per week.  I comply because of what I see as the genuine efforts of elements of the organization’s management to bring positive changes to the entity.  Consequently, the issues of convenience and cost come into play.  Not only will I have to give up my personal time waiting for transportation to visit GRA headquarters, but under those circumstances, I will end up spending more money than the monthly stipend.  While I am prepared to serve the administration and to go the extra mile as necessary, I do not think that I should be expected to subsidize the government.  It is in that context that the convenience of the car which I drive and the facilities provided become very important.

The staff at the GRA headquarters is already cramped for work and storage space and it would have been imprudent and inconsiderate of me to inconvenience them further by occupying space there.  What the letter fails to tell the public is that the space that I occupy at Critchlow Labour College is free of cost to the government.  Judging from the allegations in the letter, it is obvious too that the writer has scant regard for taxpayers’ privacy and confidentiality by questioning the presence of filing cabinets in my office which are used to protect government documents and communications.

Taxpayers ought to know that the office of the Board Secretary was broken into in an attempt to access sensitive and confidential taxpayer information which comes before the Board.  GRA had to take extra measures to protect the office of the Board Secretary and its information from its own staff since the act was considered an inside job.

I therefore do not have anything further to say about trust and confidentiality at GRA and the extent to which staff members are harassed to violate taxpayers’ privacy.

I hardly believe that taxpayers would quarrel with the government giving me a stipend of G$10,500 and cold water to drink.  Taxpayers ought to know also that every item that is put in the refrigerator is purchased by me. And just to put the record straight, I do not have a sofa in my office and the GRA never gave me a sofa.  I do not have a TV in my office, much less a 50̋ TV.  GRA never gave me a TV.  Visitors to my office must be confused now as to whom the Chairman of the GRA is for they would have never seen or experienced the convenience of those supposed facilities.  In the instances where I was given property, they remain the property of the Government of Guyana and will be returned to it once I am finished using them.

I requested support from GRA to have GRA’s work done and I was given the support.  My assistant and I spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with GRA matters.  It would have been difficult for me to understand and address many of the challenges of the organization at GRA Board meetings and to meet the many demands made of me by its management and others in the government without the valuable input of my assistant.  The issues are plentiful and thorny and her effort at analysing and summarizing documents, at researching issues and at developing briefs is of invaluable help to me.  While I might not be compensated adequately for my efforts, I remain motivated by the commitment of the dedicated staff members and dutiful taxpayers and Ms Alfred’s work, in this regard, should be commended not ridiculed.

KN alluded in a rather disparaging way to the relationship between my personal assistant and I.  The attempt at demeaning the staff member should be an affront to every Guyanese, especially women, who apparently remain, in the eyes of that newspaper, as nothing more than sex objects.   The progress that women have made in their education seems to be irrelevant to their selection for a job where KN is concerned.

For the record, I have many students who work at GRA in my classes.  I never marked the exam papers for any of the classes that I taught.  In all instances, the papers were marked by a third party.

Despite being a private matter, I ought to make it known that I am not an employee of Critchlow Labour College.  Suffice to note too that, since March 2016, the university and I discussed my status and the way forward.  Additionally, the concerns that I have about revenues have nothing to do with the economy.  However, please note that the condition of our revenues will be addressed in the future.

Yours faithfully,

Rawle F Lucas

Chairman, Governing Board

Guyana Revenue Authority

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Stormborn posted:

this is whining about nothing. How many did Satteur have for him and his kids? Lucas is in an org that is hostile to him and he is trying to make sure he get a grip of it and for that reason kept his assistant at another place where t here can be confidentiality in his attempts to get hold of a PPP entrenched organization.

HAHAHA  You come to expect IDIOTIC responses from you!!!!!!!!

Nehru
Stormborn posted:

Trust in our society is crap. Here is a essentially a PPP "owned" organization being taken over so why should he trust them? He and his crew will definitely be booted if the PPP regains power. That is the status quo and while not healthy it is the one we have.

Satteur was a crook. No one complained at his crookedness. He had five of his family, in his office. He misused his office for political ends.  His office was a den of PPP hacks who used their position to harass people like Freddi etc. I would fire all of their behinds.

I can understand his trust issues. That does not give him license to become judge, jury and executioner. He still has to conduct his duties within the framework of the law even is he has to fire every Tom, Dick and Harry that he does not trust. Removing government property to a facility not owned or leased by the GRA and without due process makes him equally guilty of abuse of power as Sattaur. Either he can operate within the confines of the law or recuse himself of his duties.

FM
Django posted:

I had a feeling Mr.Lucas is a Gentleman,sometimes over watching blinds us,I retract some of my statement questioning his credibility.

Just because he wrote a letter? How do these two things happen?

"I use the stipend that I get to buy gas and pay for basic maintenance of the car that I drive.  GRA does not buy gas for me.  It offered to do so and I refused the offer.  I turn in the vehicle to GRA whenever I am not using it."

"On occasions, the management of GRA requests my presence at its headquarters for meetings as often as three times per week.  I comply because of what I see as the genuine efforts of elements of the organization’s management to bring positive changes to the entity.  Consequently, the issues of convenience and cost come into play.  Not only will I have to give up my personal time waiting for transportation to visit GRA headquarters, but under those circumstances, I will end up spending more money than the monthly stipend.  While I am prepared to serve the administration and to go the extra mile as necessary, I do not think that I should be expected to subsidize the government.  It is in that context that the convenience of the car which I drive and the facilities provided become very important."

If he only have the car when he needs it and have it so he doesn't have to wait for transportation, how does he get the car back to use to get to the office?

What about the amenities at his private office paid for by GRA? What about the unauthorized storage of government property at his office?

FM
Django posted:
Bibi Haniffa posted:

Long Live The PNC.  And to those who put them in their position of authority.  Guyana is exactly where you all wanted it to be and you all have no credibility to complain.  Because it reveals pure hypocrisy.  Keep cheering on the dictatorship.

Most of the people are speaking out,what were you doing when your crew were filling their pockets ?

Bai nah you seh dat granja is de man fuh all Guyana's prablems? One year in office and we see them destroying Guyana that the PPP took 23 years to rebuild. Are they on a fast track program to bankrupt Guyana again? Will the treasury be emptied in 5 years rather than 28?

FM

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