The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Monday said that effective from November 1 a new flat rate system for the clearing of personal effects was implemented while the entity’s standard operating procedures have been revised.
In a release to the media, GRA said the move to have the new flat-rate system implemented is a means of improving the services provided to the public. The new system will see boxes, barrels and cartons valued up to US$1000 or its equivalent being cleared utilising the Simplified Customs Declaration Form C73. Previously, only personal effects valued up to US$500 were allowed to be cleared from Customs using the C73 form.
Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur said, “…the changes were made with the public’s convenience in mind.
With the simplified system, once the required information has been accurately completed by persons who are receiving packages, delays will be avoided.”
The GRA head noted that “in light of the upcoming festive season, an increase in the quantity of personal effects entering the country is expected; as such, the implementation of this system will mitigate unnecessary delays and expedite the clearance of personal effects.” A number of measures have been put in place to ensure that the system is not compromised. Consultations were held with stakeholders from the Shipping Association of Guyana and others before the system was finalised.
The GRA stressed that skids and pallets will not be considered as personal effects and as such goods shipped using skids and pallets will be processed as commercial items and be subject to taxation in accordance with the provisions of the Customs, Value Added, and Excise Tax Acts.
“Personal effects with values exceeding US$ 1000 will be cleared using the Customs Declaration Form C72,” the entity added.
In December of 2010, the GRA attempted to implement a new system for clearing personal effects. However, the discovery of prohibited and restricted items that were imported in barrels at a city wharf caused the GRA to suspend the implementation of the flat rate system.
Consequently, the Standard Operating Procedures were revised and other measures geared at safeguarding the system were instituted.
“The new system will be supplemented with the random selection of goods for examination and random risk management profiling. As such, shippers or their agents will now be required to state on the manifest, the specific quantity, size of/ and description of the contents of consignments.” Nevertheless, GRA notes that it reserves the right to randomly select goods for examination.
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