High river taxes blamed for increase in prices Upper Nile and Unity Article Comments (4) Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Bonifacio Taban Kuich September 9, 2011 (BENTIU) - Boat drivers say they are having to pay higher taxes to government officials between Upper Nile and Unity state, after North Sudan’s Khartoum government abolished trade into newly independent South Sudan. The docking site for motor boats in Rubkotna Port which links Unity and Upper Nile state, it is the only route used by traders and local business men to bring goods into the state. The three day trip between Malakal and Bentiu costs 100 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per passenger. Boat drivers complain that they are having to pay increased taxes in both Unity and Upper Nile states. Nyanya Patai Tutbuor, who travels between Malakal and Bentiu on a weekly basis told Sudan Tribune on Friday that he was "not felling happy about the high imposed taxation". "We put much of our blame on the government on putting 13 docking stations along the river, all in all we pay money and each docking station [totaling] about 460 SSP". Sometimes the authorities also force boat drivers to take people for free Tutbuor said. As well as high travel costs civilians in Unity state also complain of high prices especially on food commodities and others items in the markets. Genena Machar Turual state director of taxation chamber denied taxes were too high saying his government’s policy was not to tax food items. “The issues of taxation has been brought down, by general governor Taban Deng Gai. He issued a decree that there would be no taxes charged for food commodities especially, the sorghum, sugar, soft drinks, maize and any others consumable goods, [with the] exception of alcohol and others items like timbers, iron bar to be taxed”, said Turual. Turual further added, “We don’t charge consumable goods because the north has closed down our border, this can encourage the businessmen to have a successful run up their work”. Governor Taban Deng has urged the citizens not to put the blame on him pointing out that traders have the right to double prices for their goods. In Mayom County the prices of commodities has become worse, a 100 kilogram sack of sorghum cost about 300 SSP but costs around 1,000 SSP in Bentui the state capital. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
