BoB weighs in on tax debate

BoB governor, Moses Pelaelo
BoB governor, Moses Pelaelo

The Bank of Botswana (BoB), government’s chief policy adviser, says economic authorities and supporting international bodies are agreed that the country needs to broaden its tax revenues through adjustments and a reduction of exemptions.

The Finance and Economic Development ministry is proposing broad tax reviews as part of measures to restore fiscal stability in NDP 11, which is due to suffer P18 billion in budget deficits. “What government gives, it must first take from its citizens; that’s public finance 101,” BoB governor, Moses Pelaelo told BusinessWeek at a briefing last week. “It’s just like that.

“The issue of broadening the tax base and enhancing the efficiency of public finance management are critical. “When you have many exemptions and others, they may be distortionary and hamper the ability to collect tax efficiently. “We are all aligned on this, from the BoB, to government and others, looking at the situation.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up