Taxes on four-door pickup trucks are set to be reduced as part of a broader national strategy aimed at easing the tax burden, increasing disposable income, and promoting long-term wealth creation among ordinary Guyanese.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who is also the presidential candidate for the upcoming General and Regional Elections, announced the measure during a stakeholder consultation held on Wednesday at the Princess Hotel in Providence, East Bank Demerara.
The event was attended by representatives from the private sector, religious organisations, and youth groups. According to the president, vehicle ownership challenges were among the key concerns raised during conversations with citizens.
“We’re going to have a special mechanism through which four-door vehicles…will come at lower taxes,” President Ali said, drawing loud applause from the audience. “We’re going to pursue a taxation system that is going to lower the tax burden, improve tax compliance, and put more money back in your pockets.”
Ali said the new policy will be coupled with efforts to ensure that citizens continue to meet their tax obligations. Higher compliance, he noted, would allow the government to provide additional incentives and enable more Guyanese to own assets.
The initiative complements other proposed policies, including salary increases for public servants, higher old age and NIS pensions, expanded public assistance, additional cash grants, and affordable electricity for all consumers.
“The country must not only grow – individuals, families, businesses – every single person must grow,” the president said. “The grants, the increase in salaries…those are the things that will come naturally with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.”
The administration has already implemented measures to support vehicle ownership, such as the removal of value-added tax (VAT) on new electric vehicles in 2023 and reducing the duty on new vehicles under 1500 cc and less than four years old from 45 per cent to 35 per cent.
Vice President Dr Bharat Jagdeo said the proposed tax reform would allow citizens to retain more of their income while stimulating key sectors of the economy.
“It has to incentivise economic activities,” he said, citing industries like poultry, fisheries, rice farming, and mining. “Every industry would [benefit] from that… because our taxation system must not penalise wealth creation, it must incentivise.”
The government also plans to expand its digital agenda by introducing a national electronic ID (e-ID) system and using technology to improve public services and infrastructure.
The PPP/C full 2025–2030 manifesto is expected to be released later this month.
