Dear Editor,
The newspaper headlines and a few letters are highlighting the work of one Junior Minister forming syndicates and getting land for small miners. This is great news, but let’s look AT THIS REALISTICALLY AND CAREFULLY.
The Government has been in power for close to 20 months now and the Junior Minister has been in that position for a year.
1. New lands and concessions are now being offered to small syndicates that would never have been offered, or issued, had the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association and the Guyana Women Miners Organisation and miners in general, not been lobbying for withdrawal of this new (Jordon/Statia) tax regime.
2. How is it that they have waited until now? Why did they not offer these new measures before? Why wait until there is a huge outcry about this increase in taxes before they intervene with these measures? Is the Minister and by extension, the Government saying that these problems she speaks about started only a few weeks ago?
3. Statia is on record as saying that only the large miners will be affected by this tax regime, ie, two per cent paid on the sale of gold as advance taxes until you make up your books at the end of the year and pay roughly 40 per cent on your profits. And that it will not affect small miners, as they would be entitled to a refund if they make a loss.
4. Well you have to now decide to stay as a poor miner and ensure that you do not strike it rich, or in bush man terms “catch an edge and make a lil lash out, hoping to buy that Charlie (Excavator) that you worked for all your life”.
5. After mining in the bush for 20 years, withstanding malaria, dengue, typhoid and numerous other difficulties, the dream of owning your own pick-up truck or Model M to assist you in transporting your goods to the bush, would just remain a dream because before you go to buy those items, Statia has to get his taxes. Oh yes, and the deposit and those monthly payments cannot be deducted as expenses when filing your tax returns. They are considered the Capital Growth and will be taxed.
6. Also, only official receipts would be allowed for expenses. Statia would probably be back in the United States in a year or two when you are being audited, so when the receipts says “I will accept it”, the Guyana Revenue Authority auditors will tell you up front that they are not the Commissioner General, or he is no longer here. Get the facts. Find an accountant and ask him. You will need him at the end of the year anyway.
Yours respectfully,
Devika Boodram
Miner
