Kuol Manyang says tax part of drive to end idleness andfund services. . “The police needs cars, guns, and salary. that money for buying all these equipments for police comes from our pockets and everyone will be asked to pay default taxes”
—BY PHILIP THON ALEU—
Jonglei is looking at tax innovation with a new law that will require every person above the age of 18 to pay taxes, regardless of employment.
The law is part of efforts to raise taxes to cater for the public services. But it will also encourage people to seek out gainful employment, Jonglei State Governor said last week.
“The police needs cars, guns and salary,” Kuol Manyang Juuk said last week. “That money for buying all these equipments to police comes from our pockets and every one will be asked to pay default taxes.”
The Governor said unemployed youths, who spend working days playing cards, should create jobs for themselves because they will be taxed. The “default taxes” will be regardless of employment status. They will cater for security expenses, a public service to both working and non-working classes.
As he announced the coming new tax measures, the governor also pledged to force corrupt officials misappropriating tax-payers money to pay it back.
The announcement came before last week’s riot by the police over pay.
The police rooted shops in Bor market last week over delayed payment of June salaries.
The local police commissioner Malak Achuoth said the money is still in Juba and denied claims that their pay is being deliberately delayed.
Police in Jonglei are also angered by the delay in being deployed to the county headquarters where they are due to be based.
Police accused of looting
Market traders in Bor accused the policemen of looting their shops, telephones and money.
Armed police were sent to quell the situation. The minister of law enforcement in Jonglei state, Gabriel Duop Lam, told reporters that those accused of vandalizing shops will be held accountable.
Jonglei is a large state with few tax options and with frequent raids that need security personnel to be alert all the time. The state is also facing a fuel crisis with prices still high, at 10 Sudanese Pounds a liter of diesel.
Kuol said dealers were behind the high fuel prices. Dealers buy gallons of fuel from barges that comes from the North Sudan at 800 Sudanese Pound and sell it in black market at 1500 Sudanese Pounds, according to the governor.
