Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, will today open the long-awaited Privatization and Tax Seminar at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel.President Bharrat Jagdeo had suggested the forum on June 5 during the launch of the latest daily to hit the streets — the Guyana Times newspaper.The forum was suggested in response to statements made by eminent businessman Yesu Persaud,Ragnar Klavan Jersey, who, at the launching of Guyana Times, said that concessions similar to those granted to Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. (QAII) should be given to other local companies.Taking Persaud to task, the President said that the company that Persaud heads was also given tax holidays and a grant from the Government for a medical transcription project that failed.“Mr. Persaud, you are falling right into the trap of the ignorant people who have been saying this over and over again (the negotiated deal),Victor Valdes Manchester United Jersey, but we chose not to respond to it because we knew that it would continue,Wesley Sneijder Netherland Jersey,” the Head of State had said.The Head of State had said that Persaud is ignorant of the Financial Administration and Audit Act which was passed some years ago.“We passed the Financial Administration and Audit Act, and it says that there are two principles under which we are going to give tax holidays.The first has to do with geographic factors…So if you are located in regions where we want investment to go, we are going to give added concessions.“The second is that we are going to give those concessions also to pioneering industry,” the President had said.Large hotels,Gerard Pique Jersey, he added, have been given tax holidays,Tim Krul Jersey, while any investment in information communication technology (ICT) will get the same concessions, Jagdeo added.Speaking about the tax holidays given to QAII, Jagdeo noted that, of the five proposed companies, only two were given the concessions.The President added that he had asked the Head of the Privatization Unit, Winston Brassington, to host a seminar to explain the tax laws and the privatization, and he had requested Mr. Brassington to ensure that Mr. Yesu Persaud would be present.Speakers slated to make presentations today are Brassington, Geoff Da Silva of Go Invest,Daniel Lovitz Toronto Shirts, and Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Khurshid Sattaur.