Gya: Taxing your arse staying and going

According to the Board of Management a fee of $1,500 will be charged with effect from the first of next month in addition to the Travel Departure Tax. This, the Board said is to recover some of the costs of meeting additional security measures at the CBJIA)

It added that since the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 the primary focus of airport owners and operators have shifted towards the enhancement of security and safety measures for the movement of people, baggage and cargo. Consequently, staffing requirements are increasing whilst the cost for insurance has skyrocketed and new and better training programmes are now required.

As a result of this new charge outgoing passengers will now be issued with a departure ticket at a cost of $4,000 which will include the Departure Tax of $2,500 plus a security charge of $1,500. This arrangement takes effect from the first of next month.

Passengers who have already purchased travel tax tickets to travel on or after March 1 are now required to the surrender them to the Guyana revenue Authority Office booth stationed at the CJIA.

There will be no money refunds for tickets but upon payment of the additional sum of $1,500 (security fee) a Departure Ticket will be issued.

Now people leaving Guyana have to cough up an additional $4K just to travel. If you don't have the $4K, sit in Guyana and suffer. It would be interesting to know what security additions and changes the Guyanese government has made, how they arrived at this figure, and when this prohibitive tax is scheduled to expire. The thing is, once these boys get their hands in your pockets, it's you to catch cuz they don't take them out until your pockets are cleaned. Next time I am leaving T&T, I will grumble only a little less about the $100 departure tax.