Airport travellers to pay $1,500 security tax
Stabroek News
February 23, 2004
Effective March 1, a new security tax of $1,500 will be levied on persons travelling from Guyana via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.
The objective of the fee is to recover costs incurred in the CJIA's attempts to boost its security systems, equipment and personnel, the CJIA says in an advertisement published in the press yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Revenue Authority in a separate notice advises that all persons seeking to travel on or after March 1 can purchase departure tax tickets valued at $4,000 inclusive of the $1,500 security tax at the GRA booth located at the entrance to the CJIA Immigration area.
Additionally, anyone who has already purchased the current departure tax ticket in order to travel at the aforementioned time must surrender it/them at the GRA booth on or before March 31, the GRA notice informs.
A payment of $1,500 for the security levy must be made on surrendering the current departure tax ticket[s] and the outgoing passenger will then be issued with a departure tax ticket valued at $4,000.
The GRA also urges Travel Agencies/Airlines in possession of current departure tax tickets to return them before March 5 along with any outstanding sums of money accrued from selling them, and warns that failure to adhere to this deadline will result in penalties imposed for non-payment of taxes.
The GRA booth will only accept cash payments for the departure tax tickets.
The CJIA, in its advertisement, notes that following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the primary focus of airport owners and operators has shifted to enhancement of security measures for the movement of people, baggage and cargo.
As a result, the need for security workers has increased and new and better training and testing methods are now required. Insurance expenditure has also escalated.
It was further noted that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) of the UN and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the US Department of Homeland Security regularly conduct security audits at international airports.
The CJIA is no exception since its authorities are required to ensure continuous improvement in security at every level. Also, the security fee is in accordance with the provisions of the CJIA Corporation Order No. 20 of 2001, the ad noted.