PPP/C election promise fulfilled as President Ramotar names tax review panel

President Donald Ramotar is still holding to his promise of reviewing the taxation system in Guyana and has disclosed the names of persons who he recently nominated to a panel that will lead the review process.

Speaking on the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN) during a special one-on-one interview at the Office of the President, the Head of State spoke with high acclaim of the appointees.

They are Ronald Ali, economist Dr. Cyril Solomon and, prominent businessman Clifford Reece. “I hope that they will begin their work shortly… the terms of reference have also been completed and sent to them…,” President Ramotar said.

The promise of a tax regime review including an appraisal of the Value Added Tax (VAT) was touted during his campaign trail in the lead up to the 2011 general and regional elections. The Head of State was the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s presidential candidate at the time.

The party’s manifesto that was launched on October 23 promises to examine options for making the tax system more family friendly, including through personal income tax relief conditional on the number of dependent children.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo had noted that the manifesto proposed a taxation system that provides enough resources to address concerns of poor people rather than acting as a disincentive to them