80 GRA officials cited for failing to declare assets

-Integrity Commission Chair reports improved compliance after identification of defaulters

The Integrity Commission is continuing to identify public officials who have failed to submit declarations of their assets and liabilities as required by law and its Chairman Kumar Doraisami yesterday said many of those named so far have since complied with their obligations.

A list of 80 defaulters comprising senior officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been published in the November 24th Official Gazette, which states that as of November 19th, 2018, they had not submitted their declarations to the Commission.

The Integrity Commission Act mandates the submission of declarations by various categories of public officials on or before June 30th each year.

The law requires that the names of the defaulters be published in the Official Gazette and a daily newspaper.

Doraisami, who earlier this month disclosed that approximately 300 declarations were received after 1,300 forms were sent out, yesterday expressed satisfaction with the improved rate of submission of declarations following the publication of the first list of defaulters on November 10th. He could not give an exact figure but stressed that it was a “good amount.”

The former Land Court judge said too that those who submitted subsequent to the publication of the first list included persons from other categories of public officials.

Upon receipt of the declarations, the documents will be examined by Doraisami, who is now in private practice as well as attorney Rosemary BenjaminNoble and Pandit Rabindranath Persaud, who are the other members of the Commission. The three commissioners took the oath of office in February this year.

Asked about the examination process, the Chairman said that work is being done in this regard. He explained that he and his fellow commissioners met on Wednesday. The initial arrangement was that they would meet once a week but it has since been decided that meetings will take place at least thrice a week.

Doraisami told Stabroek News that at the last meeting, there were in-depth examinations of a few of the declarations. Based on those examinations, he said, a request will be made for the submission of other documents. “So, it is tedious situation,” he noted.

He said that no request for additional particulars have been made since the commissioners want to have a second look before making a final decision on which “one is more important… once we get that sorted out, we will send them a notice and give them some time to bring it in.”

He also assured that the names of defaulters will be published both in the Official Gazette and the newspapers until all have been named.

New list

On the new list are Fitzroy Corlette, Head of the Law Enforcement and Investigation Department (Former); Sese Fungai Jones, Head of the Information Technology Department; Patrick Hyman, Deputy Head of the Customs, Excise and Trade Operations Department; Hissaun Yasin-Nandlall, Deputy Commission of Inland Revenue, Legal Services Department; Joy Persaud, Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Legal Services Department; Robert James, Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Tax Audit Department; Rohan Beekhoo, Deputy Commissioner of the Customs, Excise and Trade Operations Department; Yonette Heyligar, Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Excise and Trade Operations Department; Simone Beckles, the Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Excise and Trade Operations Department; Marcia Searwar, Senior Manager, Information Technology Department; Jewel Maughn-Joseph, Senior Manager, Internal Affairs Department; Ulanie Durant, Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue Department; and Sherel Isaacs Senior Manager (ag), Large Taxpayers.

Included also are Wendy Vyphuis, Assistant Commissioner, Planning, Risk and Analysis Department; Joy Joseph, Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Tax Exemption Process and Verification Department; Kirby Cantzlaar, Assistant Commissioner, Customs, Exercise and Trade Operations Department; Jacqueline Williams, Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Tax Compliance and Enforcement Department; Lavina Walrond, Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Tax Audit Department; Alika Austin, Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Tax Operations and Services Department; Asif Karim, Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Tax Operations and Services Department; Waheeda Ali - Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Tax Audit Department; Sean Richmond Assistant Commissioner, Customs, Exercise and Trade Operations Department; Delroy Carrington , Business Analyst, Information Technology; Shawn Corney, Operations Manager- Information Technology; Debbie Stewart-Fraser, Principal Manager, Entry Processing Unit,