RRA should listen to traders’ concerns

Editor, I also think the penalties are too harsh, but there’s also something I don’t clearly understand; why is Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) pushing taxpayers to use the machines that have an archaic technology and obsolete hardware that can’t even store power? I think that the tax body should have imported modern machines. If you’re attracting people to do business in Rwanda, this kind of high-handed behaviour should stop. If taxpayers are sending their feedback about those frustrating machines, RRA should listen instead of threatening to fine and send them to prosecution. That’s not how business is done at all, and there must be consensual agreement in everything when it comes to two concerned parties. Both RRA and taxpayers are working together for the development of the country, so one side should not impose this and that to the other, especially when we all know that taxpayers have been given ‘stone age’ machines that will never fit in this fleeting modern technology era. People complain every day; what does it take for them to be listened to? Mutara Intore, Rwanda *************************** This was a good story to bring up, and there are some things that should be clear. If you say penalties for small and medium companies range between 5m to 10m, some could think there is a negotiation range which could lead to corruption. Again power outages happen and they are always noticed because the machines in the area all turn off. It would be strange that only one shop would always lose power. To err is human but daily errors by one or two taxpayers cannot justify the reduction in penalties. Taxpayers who do not issue invoices, yet they made sales, will also use the excuse of power outage and input errors. Taxpayers that reduce the prices would also give the same excuse. I think that traders should be sensitised before the tax body thinks of fining them. Again the Private Sector Federation (PSF) should help the tax body to make the awareness of EBMs known to all in the forums. This will greatly assist. NR, Rwanda Reactions to the story, “Traders want a review of e-billing machines policy” (The New Times, June 2)

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RRA should listen to traders’ concerns