Guyana approves removal of cell phone tax, boosting connectivity

The government of Guyana on Thursday accomplished tabling legislation which removes the 20 percent tax on cell phones Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, stated that the Confirmation of the Customs (Amendment of First Schedule) Order of 2023 aligns with a commitment given by President Irfaan Ali last June

He emphasized the widespread effect the law would bring about

“With the confirmation of this order, every cellular phone that comes into Guyana will no longer attract a 20 percent duty that previously it would have attracted, and that immediately will redound to the benefit of the consuming public,” Singh told legislators

Singh went on to point out that this action will likely result in mobile phones becoming increasingly accessible due to lowered costs

According to Singh, the cancellation of the 20 percent customs duty on mobile phones is just one part of a broader set of initiatives the government has implemented

These measures aim at enhancing connectivity and access to affordable telecommunication services

“It would sir, be recalled that one of the first actions taken by His Excellency, the President, when he assumed the presidency in August 2020, was to bring into operations the new Telecommunications Act, and that Act, of course, paved the way for the introduction competition in the Telecommunications Sector, and promoted increased private investment in telecommunications infrastructure

“The result, sir, has been the billed out of telecommunications

By the end of the tragic night, all five victims had been declared dead by a doctor

John rebuffed criticisms over police response time to the incident, vowing increased police presence on the streets, which he cautioned may cause minor inconveniences to the public

The bloodshed on Wednesday night has taken this year ’ s homicide count to an alarming 35, with seven of these murders happening within the past 36 hours

“It is not a good statistic And the police, we have gone back to the drawing board We have looked at ways in which we can improve what we are doing,” said John

More than 200 illegal migrants detained in Turks and Caicos

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force’s (RTCIPF) Marine Unit demonstrated its effectiveness in safeguarding the country’s borders by thwarting the attempted entry of more than 200 illegal migrants on Saturday Reports are that around 10:57 pm, RTCIPF officers successfully intercepted a 40-foot vessel en route to Providenciales, detaining all individuals on board

Among them were 152 men and 52 women

Following the interception, the illegal migrants were promptly transferred to the Immigration Task Force, ensuring proper handling and processing of the situation

This particular event marks the 23rd interception of migrants within the year, underscoring the ongoing efforts and challenges faced by authorities in curbing illegal immigration into the Turks and Caicos Islands continues on A6 – Cell phone tax

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EMERITUS