Minister Singh sounds warning on corruption

The government is warning anyone who is found to be part of corruption that they will “be dealt with condignly”. The position was reiterated by Minister with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh when he visited and toured the headquarters of the Guyana Revenue Authority on Wednesday where he met with senior staffers a release from the Ministry of Finance said.

There, the Minister spoke of the government’s expectations of professionalism from the revenue body, “that is the charge that President Irfaan Ali has given to his entire Cabinet, that is the charge that we are not only mandated, but required to convey to all entities within our respective sectors,” Dr Singh told GRA staffers.

During his tour the Minister also met with the new board chaired by former finance minister Sasenarine Kowlessar and Commissioner-General Godfrey Statia, it was during that meeting the minister charged the board to work to ensure the body aims at becoming “a world-class tax administration”.

The minister noted that the country is at a critical juncture as an oil producing country, “a defining moment,” he described it as “the moment that our country is really going to turn the corner from a country where there were a number of fiscal challenges to one which is now an oil producer and exporter with different challenges,” the Minister pointed out as he sounded the need for the country’s finances to be managed in a responsible way.

Minister Singh Minister inspected GRA’s operations at the various wharves including those at the Guyana National Industrial Company’s (GNIC) wharf and the GRA’s Container Scanner Unit, his ministry said in the release.