GRA officials in yet another bribery scam - telephone company implicated

Secret deals seems to be the thing of the day as We learn of yet another series of secret deals between GRA officials and persons from the private sector. Millions of dollars are being spent every year on paying off the customs officials. Based on our reports from one ex-customs officer, the largest payoffs came from a telephone company and a hardware store. In this first expose, we will deal with the overall accusations.

The telephone company under the microscope recently fired its chief financial officer for "conflict of interest" without disclosing what those conflicts were. We are left to wonder if the CFO was involved in this scandal and would like to talk with Mr. Rachpaul (Mr. Rachpaul, if you read this, please contact us on corruptionexpos_e@hotmail.com.

Joe Singh's emergence, as M. Maxwell questions in the Stabroek News, indicates another clear conflict of interest. However, Joe Singh was being paid off by ATN to sit at the office of the president to influence the Government's action (or inaction) on the legislation and so his conflict is obviously not in the same class as the CFO's. It was during Singh's years that the telephone company paid over 20 million dollars (per year), that's $20,000,000 in bribes to GRA officials to allow its goods to avoid detection. The ex-customs officer said that GT&T cannot produce any record of their payments to GRA, since it was all paid as bribes.

It seems that the CEO's of GT&T have a history of such dealings since it is public information about the foreign exchange deals that were done by the former CEO, Jagan (current CFO). It was also under CEO Jagan's so called “guard” that a few of the Government's properties were sold for cash. These Government properties were claimed by GT&T to be their own, so they sold it off (where was Brassington??). This deal had also included the payment of this ex-GRA officer.

Jamzone and GRA, is there a link?

Jamzone 2010 is a welcome changed to what it was a couple years ago. The youngsters of the promotion group Hits and Jam have outdone themselves this year by not only attracting an international artiste to Guyana but providing a packed entertainment schedule for Guyanese of all walks.

The shows seem to attract the largest Guyanese crowd in the past ten years. 

What Guyanese don't know however, is that while the promoters use their sponsorship and other funds to off set several expenses, Guyanese tax payers are being duped into double paying for several things. 

Tax payers would now have to pay for any repairs even done to the Guyana National Stadium in the in event that the ground will have to undergo changes following the recent shows. Many dont know that.

The Hits and Jams group have been beneficiaries over the past 4 years to duty free concessions to hold these shows, in fact just around Carifesta they were given government funds to pay for the stage that is being used at the stadium, even though the stage is said to be the 'property' of the Culture Ministry.

The Guyana Revenue Authority is notably absent from any of the shows held. 

No entertain tax is being paid and our information suggests that the government is not collecting taxes as required by the VAT act on any of the tickets sold.

How much will our coffers lose out ?

Well the local promotion company paid more than US$100,000 to bring signing sensation Ne-yo to Guyana, which is a small percentage of what they will make minus the taxes.

We are told that more than G$30 million could off set their other expenses (their sponsors take care of that).

The group is expected to make more than $30 million from other ticket sales and shows - all of which is tax free. 

The Guyana Revenue Authority seem to be acting under political directive on this one and no one is asking questions.