AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT Hussein Ali Hassan Mwinyi has reiterated his commitment to ensure all business setbacks for traders and investors are wiped out as part of efforts to attract investment.
“As we start to implement our promises, I want people to pay tax that is due. I do not intend to excavate the past and look for felons, I know that there are people who were not paying tax, cheating in different ways. Let bygones be bygones. I want the required tax to be paid from today,” Dr Mwinyi said when he met with members of the business community yesterday at the ‘Sheiklh Idrrisa Abdulwakil hall.
Members of the business community at the meeting initiated by the president following his promise to do so during the election campaign, involved traders, importers, manufacturers, investors, and trade organisations, Dr Mwinyi put emphasis on tax payment and shun dubious deals.
He said that his government is doing all it can to ensure the business environment in the country is favourable and that it includes looking at laws and policies which have been a drawback, while directing ministers and executives in the government to find solutions to complaints raised by members of the business community.
Mwinyi said “Ministers and permanent secretaries have heard concerns raised by the business community, each must find solutions within their jurisdiction so that when we meet, we only talk about success in solving the challenges.”
He said that his government needs to partner with the private sector in efforts of achieving all round development through payment of taxes and levies, stressing that they can also take-up big projects like developing the seaport and infrastructures.
Members of the business community were also encouraged to establish industries that will create more than 300,000 jobs for the growing number of youths, and that plans are underway to make the current ‘Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) a one stop centre.
“Reforms for economic growth also include speed in responding to people’s needs. No more bureaucracy, I will have a close follow-up of performance in all public offices,” Dr Mwinyi said, promising to establish a ‘Presidential delivery bureau’, responsible for performance watchdog.
He pointed out the need for legal regulatory and institutional reform because there is no need of having many regulators in a small country, saying that the aim is to make Zanzibar a business hub in various areas.
Prior to the president’s speech at the meeting facilitated by the ‘Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC),’ some members of the business community and leaders of the chamber listed challenges they have been facing in business operations.
They said the challenges include bureaucracy in delivering services, corruption, tax evasion, lack of market for small entrepreneurs, dealing with many regulators, paying tax to many collectors, and delays in responding to requests.
