Commission hears of IRD strike incidents
by Wendella Davidson
THE Commission of Inquiry probing violence during the recent Public Service pay strike yesterday heard evidence in relation to the incidents at the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). Relating these before Justice Carl Singh were Commissioner of Inland Revenue Mr. Kurshid Sattaur and three of his employees, Ms. Patricia Atherley, Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue; Mr. Peter Lewis, Inspector of Taxes and Supervisor of the Liability Section; and Mr. Peter Fraser, Inspector of Taxes and Public Relations Officer (PRO). They were all guided by Counsel for the Commission, Mr. Mortimer Cumberbatch. Also testifying yesterday were Mr. Ragunauth Persaud, Legal Clerk attached to the Supreme Court, and Mr. Sydney Douglas of the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPO). Sattaur, the last person to testify for the IRD, told the Commission there were instances during the April 29 to June 23 strike by public servants when he feared for his safety. One such was when a male protester pointed his finger at him, asking whether he (Sattaur) was the person who had dismissed three persons, and added, "You know what you playing wid". Also, there were his own employees who would shout at him "Get out the place", and hurl racial slurs. He recalled too, how, prior to the strike, the department was plagued by frequent blackouts and bomb scares. Also, of his disappointment that while out of the country during the first week of the strike, no measures were put in place to cater for the public. On his return, though, Sattaur said boxes were placed at the entrance of the GPOC building on Robb Street for taxpayers to deposit cheques and income tax returns. Sattaur testified that the department hardly collected any cash, and access to files in the filing room was critical, as most of the staff, including the supervisor, were on strike. Noting that during the period he was the only person who had access to the building, Sattaur said that situation changed on May 17, when there was a total shutdown. Describing May 17 as "the day order ceased", Sattaur recounted how from then until June 23 when the strike ended, protesters would position themselves prominently at the entrance to the building and prevent employees willing to work from doing so. According to him, his personal roll call showed about 200 members of his staff had an interest in working. And while a few officers exercised their right to strike, it appeared that some who remained on the job were in collusion with the strikers, he added. The situation became even more critical when GPOC employees also downed tools. Asked by the Judge whether there was a Police presence and what action, if any, was taken against protesters who were preventing employees from attending work, Sattaur said he was told by the Police they were not there for that, only to see that there was not disorderliness. The protesters also blocked the Licence Office where no business was being done. He recalled too that the strike was a critical period for the IRD, as it occurred at the same time as the deadline for payment of corporate taxes. Noting that in excess of one billion dollars is collected through those taxes, Sattaur told the Commission revenue collection was totally disrupted; it was "hijacked". Atherley, in her brief evidence, said she was aware of protest activity between April and June at the IRD in Robb Street. Protesters barricaded the entrance to the building and when the Police erected their barriers, she said there were then two, a human and a metal barricade. The witness said she too was prevented from entering the building by squatters in front of the entrance. And despite having a desire to work, she made no request for them to allow her to pass. Lewis, who said he was subjected to abuse, told the Commission how the protesters would accuse him of supporting a "coolie government". He recalled how, as the strike progressed, there were frequent bomb threats and later, the strikers reverted to blocking the entrance to the building. He testified too to the protesters throwing away the boxes placed at the entrance to facilitate taxpayers depositing cheques and returns. As the PRO of the IRD, Fraser said he had recorded one of two programmes to sensitise the public to the alternate arrangements in place for the depositing of their cheques and returns. While the first was done, he said he was forced to abandon the second, as some of his co-workers rebuked him saying while they were not at work, they were nevertheless supportive of the strike. Fraser said in addition to a threatening telephone call when he was described as a "damn jackass', a security guard threatened to beat him up because he was talking" a lot of stupidness". The hearing will continue tomorrow with Justice Singh hearing evidence about incidents at the Public Hospital Georgetown (PHG).
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