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The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Friday registered its concern, and called for theGeneral Secretary of the RPA, Dharamkumar Seerajremoval of what they claimed to be an imposition—the application of Value Added Tax (VAT) on heavy duty equipment.The pieces of equipment identified are bulldozers, excavators, tractors and similar “heavy-duty industrial machines.”At a recent Press Conference, the PPP stated that the government continues to “assault” the productive sectors of Guyana’s economy. The latest assault, the party said, is manifested in amendments to the Value Added Tax Act by an Order, Order No. 6 of 2016,Lonzo Ball UCLA Jersey, which was laid in the National Assembly on February 12,Uconn Huskies Jerseys, last.According to the Former Attorney General (AG),Josh Rosen UCLA Jersey, Anil Nandlall, this Order, “Inter alia, imposes 16% VAT on large capital equipment, which hitherto enjoyed exemptions from VAT.”This new measure, he cautioned, will have dire financial and economic implications for almost every one of the nation’s productive sectors,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar UCLA Jersey, including agriculture, mining, forestry and industrial sectors. The price will skyrocket on the pieces of equipment to which it applies.“We also wish to register our objection to the way that this Order was imposed. It was done without any consultation whatsoever; without any public statement whatsoever; without any prior notice at all even to the sectors that would be affected by this measure.“It was simply laid in the National Assembly and formed part of a long list of exemptions from VAT. In short, it was almost surreptitiously inserted in a list of exemptions, clearly conveying the impression that its architects were not desirous of revealing its true nature, purport and effect,” a statement from the party read.Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall“It would be recalled that both in and out of the National Assembly, we canvassed for the removal of similar draconian measures which were part of the 2016 Budget,Rey Maualuga USC Jersey, for example, the ban against the importation of vehicles that are eight years old and older.“This measure was intended to apply to every class of motor vehicles but it was only after we raised objections that it was confined to motorcars.”The Opposition said that it is asking the government to immediately reverse this measure. It said that it wishes to “remind them that many of our productive sectors are currently ailing. This would simply lead to greater decline in production and more economic stagnation.”Despite this call, it was reported in sections of the media on quite a few occasions, that while several investors; both local and foreign, would have been granted duty-free concessions to import machinery for a particular purpose, these equipment would most times, end up satisfying other needs.Many calls have also been made by investors to the relevant authorities to implement some level of constraint as it relates to the granting of duty-free concessions.Calls were also made for better monitoring to be carried out, more specifically, in interior locations where most of these pieces of equipment would have been reportedly deployed.The Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) in a statement on Friday last, said that it condemns the order “unequivocally”.The General Secretary of the association and PPP Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamkumar Seeraj, stated that the RPA’s mandate is to protect the interest of the rice sector and the welfare of farmers and,Brett Hundley College Jersey, by extension, the millers.These have already been “overburdened” with increases in taxation for licencing fees for rice mills.“It is the RPA’s intention to oppose,Reggie Miller UCLA Jersey, utilizing every means at the organization’s disposal; this further blow delivered to the productive sector in general, and rice farmers and millers in particular.“The RPA is expressing grave concerns on government’s reneging on pre-election promises to rice farmers, producers and exporters for facilitation mechanisms to be implemented to boost the rice and other productive sectors,” Seeraj stated.“The RPA is resolved to begin an immediate offensive against these Draconian actions that are further stymieing growth and even hindering recovery of the rice sector that has been under severe threat of recent times,” Seeraj’s statement concluded. |
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