Govt loses millions to illegal tobacco trade
Friday, December 18, 2015
The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the World Bank said this at a workshop meant to discuss initiatives to eliminate all forms of illicit trade in tobacco products.
In 2013, the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) reported smuggling and non-declaration of goods resulted in lost revenue of an estimated P947,616 from duties and taxes that could have been charged on cigarettes that year.
The fees have been doubled from the previous amounts and raise concerns about political participation accessibility and democratic representation principles.This significant fee increase prompts questions regarding its impact on grassroots democracy.On one hand, the fees act as a filter, ensuring only serious contenders enter the race, potentially reducing frivolous candidacies and generating crucial campaign funds. The BDP argues that aspiring...