Last Updated on Sunday, 8 March 2026, 10:15 by Writer
The Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) first Commissioner-General, Edgar Helyligar died on Saturday.
He was 86 years.
“Mr. Heyligar was widely respected for his professionalism, integrity, and commitment to public service. His leadership helped shape the early direction of the Authority and contributed meaningfully to the advancement of revenue administration in Guyana,” GRA Commissioner-General Godfrey Statia said in a statement.
Prior to being appointed Commissioner General in 2000, he had served as Commissioner of Inland Revenue from 1978.
Following is the full text of a statement by Mr Statia.
The Management and staff of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) are deeply saddened by the passing of the Authority’s first Commissioner-General, Mr. Edgar E. Heyligar, CCH, on Saturday, March 7, 2026. Mr. Heyligar served the Authority as Commissioner
-General from 2000 to 2003.
The Guyana Revenue Authority extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends and former colleagues of the Authority during this time of loss.
Mr. Heyligar’s contribution to revenue administration in Guyana began long before the establishment of the Guyana Revenue Authority. After returning to Guyana from the United Kingdom in the early 1970s as a qualified Chartered Accountant, he entered the public service and devoted his professional life to strengthening the country’s fiscal institutions.
In 1978, he was appointed Commissioner of Inland Revenue, where he provided leadership to the Inland Revenue Department during an important period in the development of Guyana’s tax administration. In that role, he helped shape systems, professional standards, and administrative practices that would later inform the creation of the Guyana Revenue Authority.
The establishment of the Guyana Revenue Authority marked a significant milestone in the modernisation of revenue administration in Guyana. As the inaugural Commissioner-General, Mr. Heyligar played a pivotal role in guiding the early development of the Authority, laying the foundation for the systems, policies and institutional culture that continue to support the organization today.
Under his leadership, the Authority began the important work of strengthening tax and customs administration, enhancing accountability, and building a professional institution dedicated to supporting national development through effective revenue collection.
Mr. Heyligar was widely respected for his professionalism, integrity, and commitment to public service. His leadership helped shape the early direction of the Authority and contributed meaningfully to the advancement of revenue administration in Guyana. Many officers who now serve within the Authority benefited from the standards and institutional framework established during those formative years.
The Governing Board, the Commissioner-General, and the staff of the Guyana Revenue Authority recognize and appreciate the valuable contribution he made during the formative years of the institution.
The Authority joins the nation in mourning his passing and honours the legacy of service he leaves behind. His role in the early history of the Guyana Revenue Authority will remain an important part of the organization’s institutional memory.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Additional details of his distinguished service will follow.
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