Ramps Logistics says cleared of all GRA charges

Ramps Logistics Guyana Inc yesterday said that it had been cleared of all charges brought against it by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

In a press release, Ramps Logistics said that it made its final appearance yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court #6 before Magistrate Dylon Bess in the matter brought before it by the GRA on October 5th, 2022.

Ramps Logistics said that the GRA called four witnesses to testify over two days. It said that yesterday morning, Magistrate Bess ruled that Ramps had no case to answer and dismissed all charges against the company.

Ramps said that it was grateful for the support from its lawyers, Pratesh Satram and Mahendra Satram of Satram & Satram and Attorney Nigel Hughes of the Law Office of Hughes, Fields & Stoby, who led its defence in this matter. It also thanked its team members and other stakeholders who have stood by it throughout “this unfortunate incident”.

Ramps Logistics says it “remains committed to working closely with the

GRA and all other agencies to ensure all processes are transparent and within the realm of the law. We aim to continue to positively contribute towards Guyana’s growth and development in the energy and non-energy sectors”.

Ramps Logistics had been denied a Local Content Certificate and had moved to the High Court to challenge the decision. Days after it lodged its case the GRA filed 10 charges against it alleging false declarations. The company had maintained that the charges were null and void and it pointed out that the court action had come just days after it had sought judicial review over the conduct of the Local Content Secretariat. In the High Court as part of the arguments against granting the certificate, the Local Content Secretariat had cited the GRA charges against Ramps Logistics. The High Court however ruled in favour of Ramps Logistics and ordered that it be issued with the certificate.

The GRA had said that the charges stemmed from investigations carried out by its Law Enforcement and Investigations Division. It said that the charges were filed in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Act Chapter 82:01.

The investigation determined, among other things, that during the period 2021 to 2022, Ramps Logistics – whose parent company is in Trinidad and Tobago – made several untrue declarations to the Revenue Authority.