Probe begins into remigration scheme
--- Foreign Ministry clarifies role
Guyana Chronicle
December 31, 2003
IN light of a report appearing in Kaieteur News's Sunday Special Edition of December 28, 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement clarifying its role in the processing of applications for remigration status and the procedures to be followed:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible only for certifying the eligibility of the applicant's remigrant status and has no authority to pronounce on the concessions to be granted to remigrants. Nor does it have any mandate to issue letters for duty free concessions pertaining to the applicant's personal effects.
The Ministry further wishes to outline the policy guidelines, which govern the processing of applications for remigration status.
All prospective remigrants are expected to visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish their remigrant status and are required to present the following:
a. Passport(s) - current and previous, in the case where the current passport was issued for less than four years; and
b. Certified copies of Annual Income Tax declarations for each of the four years that a potential remigrant was working overseas.
In the case of students, those who were resident for four years or more abroad are eligible for remigrant status as well as those who spent less than four years but three years or more and are graduates of a training institution and can provide a letter from the University of Educational Institution confirming the duration of the course of study or time spent at the particular Institution.
Remigrants will swear to a Statutory Declaration that they intend to remigrate and will reside in Guyana for no less than three years. In the event that a remigrant fails to reside in Guyana for this period, all concessions granted become payable immediately.
Upon the examination of all documentation provided, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will determine the eligibility of the applicant's remigrant status. Once that status has been certified with the issuance of a letter by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the applicant is required to visit the Ministry of Finance to provide the following:
a. A complete list of all items to be brought in;
b. Information on the year, model and engine capacity of the motor vehicle(s) for which concession is being sought and evidence of ownership for a minimum of six months; and
c. A Statutory Declaration by the applicant that the list provided is a complete list for which concessions are being sought and that such items are for personal and domestic use and not for sale or exchange. They must also swear that they have never enjoyed duty free concessions.
Prior to September 1, 2003, the concessions requested were subject to the approval of the Ministry of Finance. After that date, the Ministry of Finance reviews the concessions for final consideration by the Guyana Revenue Authority.
In 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs processed a total of 172 remigrant applications.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is satisfied that its records are properly kept and that all of its operational procedures are adequate.
Contrary to reports, duty-free concessions for two luxury vehicles was never issued, an official said.
The person that earlier applied was denied such concessions.
"Strangely, however," said the source, "the individual got himself classification as a re-migrant, even though he has been living in Guyana for about seven years."
A full-scale investigation has begun into this, as well as into reports of alleged irregularities in the Foreign Affairs Ministry's remigration scheme.