What a Pity Internet Cafes in Guyana are closed down

It is a pity that the Government of Guyana is currently displaying a show of force against the unexpecting, unfortunate and susceptible masses of Guyana who account for 80 percent of the population.. Two events that encapsulates this obtained heavy media coverage and attention in recent times. One being the forceable adjustment of the prices for fuel at the gas pump of a private businessman.

It goes to show that our autocratic government have a very thwarted agenda to oppress the people of our country by telling us what prices we must pay. I believe it is customary that a democracy imposes price control to lower prices but since The average man must pay their prices and must be forced to resell at their prices, we have empowered a government that works against us.

Still I believe that the majority of us have not got the big picture where we are forced to do things in an anti-competitive way that is negative for our personal economic development.

The other issue is that The Government is forcing the GRA to sanction the Internet Cafes for using features to allow cheap and affordable calls to the public. Imagine a case where internet Cafes are able to offer oversea calls at G$20 and in some cases G$10 per minute which works out to US$0.10 and US$0.05 per minute contrasted to a cost of $35 per minute to the United States using our local land line services. Rates to the Caribbean are exasperatingly higher.


I find it counter democratic that they went even further make a ridiculous move in the month of December to block all the Yap Jacks from dialing through their lines. Their argument was that “These individuals and businesses have essentially created illegal telecommunications networks that employ authorized VSAT equipment for unlawful purposes or VSAT equipment without the requisite licenses, SIM banks, broadband, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and international Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) providers like Vonage, Skype, and Packet 8 to offer outbound and inbound voice calls to the public for a fee. These operations are illegitimate and essentially result in tax evasion since no revenue is paid on these calls,” the GRA had declared.
http://www.stabroeknews.com/news/go-after-internet-cafes-cabinet-urges-gra/

Can someone please define tax evasion for me. Since there are laws governing the use of the VSat Equipment, claims of illegitimate use can be warranted. BUT to say that VOIP services are illegal and a means of tax evasion, is like saying that producing your own Bio-diesel to run your car on is illegal because you opt not to use the imported gasoline that attracts heavy Government tax.

I have a solution. If anyone want to chat with their family and friends, and have a Personal Computer at home make contact with me and I will help you to get the system so you can chat internationally with your friends and using your computer at the lowest rate.

At the time I am writing this article there are 68 comments by concerned citizens on the Stabroek news website on this article if you feel concerned make your voice heard. Let us save our communication and freedom of speech.