Dear Editor,
From my understanding of a press statement made by the Finance Minister and which was seen by me for the first time in 2017, a laid down principle was provided for old age pensioners countrywide to benefit from tax exemption on their savings accounts.
The relief was considered to be helpful with the savings as we all know, no matter how infinitesimal becoming ever so important to have especially when exigency arises.
For the year, as a recipient of the relevant particulars that were given at Anna Regina Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) office for withholding tax which expires at the end of each year and it was granted to me.
But for this year a similar request was rejected without given any reason even though the same was done as the previous one with the only difference being another female who made me to understand that it is at the discretion of the GRA to do so but her explanation did not find favour with me. This disparity is ever so much confusing and remains beyond my understanding with something definitely wrong for my humble opinion discretion is not applicable and totally irrelevant to this issue.
From my point of view, once the withholding tax becomes discretionable, it will obviously create an opening for corruption as it would be possible for anyone to pay and get one.
The Minister’s statement to me is ever so much pellucid on the entitlement of tax relief from which pensioners stand to benefit and must be so confined within the ambit of the law.
With GRA doing otherwise to now reject my request, some form of clarity along the line becomes necessary as a matter of public interest.
Yours faithfully,
Baliram Persaud
