DILI, 03 february 2023 (TATOLI)- Timorese businessmen and distributors requested the Government to review the taxes decree law No 15 /2022 which had been implemented in Tibar Bay Port since January 2023.
Distributor Clarisa Lay said this law had given an impact on the Timorese business, and distributors and also has a direct impact on the small traders and the population in general.
“We had implemented the new taxes decree law No 15/2022 article 3 which is very difficult because the business companies have found it hard to pay for the container fee, from Tibar Bay Port to Dili. which cost over $200, compare to the previous Dili port, we paid about $90 for each container,” Lay said the distributor, Clarisa Lay, when holding a meeting with the Minister of Finance Rui Gomes at the office of the Ministry of Finance, Aitarak- Laran, Dili.
At the same time, Lay explained, that the implementation of the new taxes on four products, affected the price of the products.
“For example, the price for 5kg of sugar cost $10.24 from $5.24, 25kg of rice cost $15 from $13.55 which is also similar to other products,” Lay explained.
Concerning this issue, Lay said many distributors and businessmen in Timor – Leste are not able to do the transaction due to the high cost of taxes including the fee for the container.
Lay together with other business companies met the Minister of Finance Rui Gomes and With the Chamber of Commercial Industry of Timor – Leste (CCI- TL) met to discuss the policy and find out the solution to this issue.
While at the meeting, Finance Minister, Rui Gomes said, the new taxes were implemented by the Government to increase the national production in the country and stimulate the economic growth of Timor-Leste: “With this reason, the eighth Constitutional Government has conducted this policy to collect more payment taxes and reduce the country dependent on the Petroleum ‘s fund, prevent the public health, and provide an opportunity for the Timorese businesses to invest more in Timor-Leste”
“The role of the Ministry of Finance is not only to manage the state ‘s budget but also how to look for money to support the state budget, the thing that we do is reform the fiscal taxes law so that can implement to increase the national production in Timor – Leste and that law had implemented, thus hoped to Timorese distributors and businessman to implement this law,’’ he said.
In answer to the concern from the business companies, Gomes said, He will present their concern to PN to review.
“We asked the CCI- TL to wait, I have committed to present the difficulties of distributors and businessmen to the council minister and then forward to the National Parliament to review this decree-law, the Government always looking for all phenomenon problems to find the solution,’’ he concluded.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Nelia B.
