Guyana tax authority to blacklist those who failed to file taxes

Doctors, accountants and lawyers among those evading taxes.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Monday March 26, 2012 – Doctors and lawyers are among those in the higher income bracket guilty of not filing taxes.

And, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) intends to increase its efforts to bring tax evaders to justice.

Commissioner General of the GRA, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur said categories of professionals guilty of this practice included doctors, lawyers, accountants, pharmacists, land surveyors, dentist, civil engineers and architects.

He added that there were over 530 people in such professions required to pay practicing and serving fees which were due at the end of February.

According to reports, of the more than 300 doctors, less than 35 of them comply with paying their taxes, and less than 20 of the over 105 lawyers comply in taking out a practitioner’s fee.

Noting that the taxes usually went unpaid, Mr. Sattaur warned that the Commission will be putting steps in place to deal with defaulters this year.

This will include the publishing of names of those not honouring their legal obligations, including those of prominent doctors and lawyers. That is expected to highlight those who did not file income tax returns and could not obtain a legitimate tax compliance certificate.

However, the Commissioner stressed that those who did not file returns usually earned millions of dollars annually. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)