Sacked Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur has issued a response claiming surprise at his dismissal amid assurances of continuity from at least two serving government Ministers.
Hours after the board of the GRA announced that it had terminated Mr. Sattaur’s service, Sattaur said he was relieved that the Board has chosen to terminate his services and looks forward to receiving his hard earned benefits, including his pension benefits up to his legal age of retirement among other entitlement such as severance pay and his full leave passage entitlement.
“I now look forward for a peaceful retirement and to engage in less strenuous activities that would allow me to enjoy the benefits of my long and dedicated service to this country. I am very proud and feel most honoured to have served my country with dedication, commitment and distinction,” he said.
Sattaur, who was initially sent on 200 days leave three weeks ago, said he believes that his dismissal is at the least contradictory to what was communicated to him by the politicians and he said he was extremely taken aback firstly by the decision taken by the Board in December to have him proceed on leave to facilitate an impending forensic audit of the Agency.
The former GRA boss said he was particularly concerned that he has given long and dedicated service to Guyana and was now being discarded along with attempts to ridicule and publicly embarrass him.
“These incidents sad to say would appear to have been orchestrated to make it very uncomfortable for me to continue serving with the same dedication and sincerity with which I approach my work. It is apparent that if I were to resume duties at the end of my leave period I would have been unable to execute my mandate in an effective manner,” he said.
In a statement on Thursday, the GRA Board reported that “at its 171st meeting held today, January 21, 2016, the Governing Board of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) took a unanimous decision to terminate the relationship between Commissioner General Mr. Khurshid Sattaur and the Revenue Authority”
According to the statement, the decision will take effect on March 1, 2016.
Acting Commissioner-General, Ms. Ingrid Griffith will continue to function in the position of Commissioner General until further notice, the release concluded.
Just after he was sent on leave, Mr. Sattaur was asked to hand over several belongings of the Government of Guyana back to the GRA, including four vehicles that he had in his possession.
The GRA was also forced to disconnect a direct link that Mr. Sattaur had at his home which connected him with all of the database on the GRA’s server.
Sattaur served as Commissioner General for a number of years and was credited with the agency being able to pull in more revenue.
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