Wakenaam residents want GRA mobile unit

Dear Editor,
Wakenaam residents, who own motor vehicles are calling on the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to take steps to alleviate the high cost to obtain the revenue licences for motor vehicles.
The residents either have to travel to the Essequibo Coast or to the Parika Branch of the GRA to purchase licences for their vehicles. Either way the cost is over $2,000 dollars return.
Most residents opt to go to Parika. At the Parika Branch there are several situations that confront them. There may be a blackout which is frequent and they are told to return another day as there is no standby power available.
At most times they are told that the information on their vehicles is not showing up and they must go to the Licence Revenue Office in Georgetown to obtain the licence.
Some persons are told to return after the employees take their telephone numbers and they are promised to be called – something that rarely happens.
Those who travel to Georgetown have to join the already long line and some rarely reach the counter to transact their business. Others have to return home without the licences.
Wakenaam Island has over 1,000 motor vehicles which need licences. Farmers are busy preparing their rice lands and can ill afford the time to travel to Parika.
Other workers, especially those in the public sector have to take leave to conduct this business which lasts days. One resident has made over three trips to Parika and still have to go to Georgetown to obtain a motorcycle licence that will cost $1,000.
Residents feel that since the policemen at Wakenaam have little work to do, a favourite past time is to get out on the road and say “Let me see your documents.”  Several options are then open to motorists.
Wakenaam Motorists