Hardships abound as hucksters feel pressured

Increased fees

By Romario Samaroo

In light of the increased cost hucksters have to pay for their licences, these street sellers are complaining about difficulties they are faced with to comply with the new requirements.
After the move by the Administration to revise the tax laws, hucksters are forced to pay an enormous increase for their licences.
According to the Hucksters Licensing and Control Amendment Bill No. 9 of 2016, hucksters plying their trade via “foot or man propelled vehicle or cycle” will pay $3500 signalling an increase of 12.5 times the amount.
Those carrying out their business by means of “horse or other beast bearing or drawing burden” must now pay $12,500 rather than the $1000 previously paid. A number of vendors affected by this increase spoke at length of the strain it had posed on them.
Annoyed vendors flocked to share their views on this issue with Guyana Times.
Frankie, a fruit trader at Bourda Market said he feels the new fees are a burden to small vendors like himself: “It can’t work out if I got to pay that plus $1000 a day to sell out here, wen yuh wuk it out yuh wuk fa mine dem.” He reiterated the ever-so-often produce is so cheap and that “is best I close down”.
Cheryll, another Bourda Market huckster pointed out that she is a single mother who is struggling to make ends meet: “I am a single mother of four and I got to pay all these taxes; what is the point?” she further said “money barely circulating”.
Another single mother Patricia added that she cannot afford to pay the increased fees: “I sells from Friday to Monday, i can’t afford to pay these taxes. I ga pay lesson fees,” she lamented.
Similarly, Tony is asserting his position not to pay because “they not taking care of de place and gat to pay all dese taxes.” He subsequently pointed out that “wholesale farmers would usually pay $3000 to distribute on the parapet.”
Sherry also expressed her disapproval saying, “if I got to pay all of this I going an do domestic work”
West Bank vendors also expressed their opinion on the increased licenses fees. Tony said he has a child attending University of Guyana and it is very difficult for him to pay the increase: “Dem prices too high, but small man na gat a say. I got to send me child UG and and all dem fee raise. They (the government) feel because we selling out here we does mek nuff money.”
Savitiri said she has been selling the same load for the week because “business slow.” She went on to say, “I got to pay $4500 ‘landing fee’ for me Canter and now this”
Arif also pointed out he does not sell $3500 a day and still has to pay “$1000 a day” to sell there, in addition to “$300 per pallet” of which she has four.
Visiting Lombard Street now known for its horse-drawn vehicles, Guyana Times met with a few men plying their trade. In conversations, the men spoke of their unwillingness to comply with this increase due to the fact that “business on a whole was slow” and it is hard to meet that money. They went on to further point out that their “family is the main priority”
Hucksters traversing the various markets and selling to individual shops using motor vehicles will pay an additional $57,500 on the former $5000 totalling $62,500 for the licence.
When asked about this, one driver complained about “the other expenses I have to face already and now this” and noted “parts expensive, shop owners complaining dem ain’t gat money and now de government want we pay more”
Vishal wanted to ask the government “why they don’t go tax all de drug yards than pressure legal workers?”
These issues come in light of the already established difficulty the administration faces with tax collection. Vendors are calling for the revised legislation to be reconsidered.