Imbamadai residents call for regularisation

GINA, GUYANA, Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Residents of Imbaimadai are calling for regular visits from the Guyana Revenue Authoring (GRA) to regularise their business operations.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes visited the Region Seven community to mobilise miners into syndicates and listened to the concerns of residents.

Community Leader, Wilton Tafares, told the Minister that there are many shop owners who would like to be complaint with the laws. “We have  not been getting officers coming here to collect payments and issue licence to us. They tell us we got to go to Bartica,” Tafares explained.

Residents noted that travelling to Bartica is very costly.

Tafares suggested that a team from the GRA should visit the community annually so that businesses can make payments and be properly licenced. Residents are also asking if the GRA could wavier back taxes since some of their businesses have been non-operational for periods of time.

Minister Broomes assured the residents that she will raise the issue with the GRA and push for waivers where possible. “I will really want to support you and to plea to my colleague minister about the wavier ….‘cause you are a community that wants to be compliant,” Minister Broomes said.

A request was also made for lands to be made available for residential purposes.

Tafares pointed out that while there is a recognised indigenous community, many “coast landers” would like to own the land they are living on. “Nuff of us has been pioneer and put down infrastructure here and we would like to leave it to our grandchildren,” Wilton said.

Residents were assured by Minister Broomes that their concerns will be raised with the Minister of State and the Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commissions.

Meanwhile, the miners of the community are asking for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to conduct more sensitisation workshops to ensure that miners are aware of the “dos and don’ts”. Minister Broomes assured that these workshops will be conducted..

Other concerns were raised with the Minister included upgrading the Imbaimadai airstrip and the bridge linking Imbaimadai with nearby communities among other infrastructural works.

 

By: Tiffny Rhodius