Teacher with part time job begs President Ali to cancel taxes owed to GRA

Nov 13, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – An untrained teacher, 22, working a part-time job at Teleperformance just to make ends meet and take care of her three disabled brothers lobbied President Mohamed Irfaan Ali to waive some $345,000 in taxes she owes the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The Teacher pleaded with the President to assist her in a letter she wrote to him on Thursday, November 10, 2022. Fearing that Ali might not get a chance to read the document, one of her colleagues decided to share it with Kaieteur News.

In the letter, the teacher said that on Wednesday, November 9, she received a call from a GRA employee informing her that she owes the agency $345, 132 in taxes.

Speaking with Kaieteur News on Friday, the Teacher said that she visited GRA’s office immediately to query the debt. When she got there the employee reportedly told that she was not paying the correct amount taxes. GRA explained to her that she owes the agency a total of $203,641 in tax along with an interest of $66, 558 and $74, 933 in late fees.

The woman said she was unaware that her taxes had to be recalculated because she was working two jobs and thought that she had paying the right amount since she started working. She had even been “doing up” her tax return forms since 2020 and claimed that prior to the call she received on Wednesday; GRA had never informed her that she owed taxes.

In the letter she wrote, “Prior to this call (call from the employee), I did not receive any letters or written documents (from GRA) stating that I was not paying the correct tax and that I owe tax to G.R.A”.

The Teacher told Kaieteur News that she related this to the employee but the woman explained to her that it is a GRA policy and she must pay-up.

She even pleaded with GRA to flex with her because of her economic situation and she is unable to cancel the debt.

The woman works fulltime with the Ministry of Education and is currently attending the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) to qualify herself but was forced to seek a part-time job since the salary she receives as an untrained teacher is not enough to take care of her family.

She explained that she lives with a single parent mother, a younger brother and three others who have special needs. A mentally unstable uncle also lives with them and she and her mother are the only ones working in the family. In order to make ends meet she would teach all day and then work with Teleperformance at night.

After explaining her situation, she was advised that the most GRA can do to assist is to offer her a payment plan.

“They wanted me to sign-up some documents but I did not sign onto to anything because I cannot afford but I am fearful of facing the consequences because it’s the law so I decided to write and beg the President to help me out ”, the teacher said.

In the letter, she explained her situation to the President and told him that she cannot afford the debt because she no longer works with Teleperformance and her meager untrained teacher salary is barely enough to cancel the bills at home and feed her family.

“I am kindly requesting a waiver because I cannot afford to pay the amount due”, she pleaded while adding, “My monthly salary is that of a an untrained teacher and I have many financial responsibilities”

“I have the responsibility of paying half of the light, water, phone, internet and food bills. I am also paying two loans, one at Courts Guyana and one at the Republic bank. Every month, after paying my necessary bills, I only have $5000 remaining”, she continued.

The remaining $5000, she explained, is used wisely for one month to take her to and from work until she gets paid again.

“Kindly assist me” she begged once again and added, “I simply cannot afford to pay the money owed and I’m terrified of the consequences because I cannot pay. I haven’t been able to eat, sleep and function at college and work properly since I heard the news.

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