As 2011 Finance Act Approved – Right-Hand Drive Vehicles to Be Banned

Concord Times (Freetown)

Jariatu Bangura

13 July 2011

Freetown — Parliament on Monday approved the 2011 Finance Act having gone through the committee stage with serious amendments. It is an Act to provide for the imposition and alteration of taxation in support of government’s fiscal policies for the year 2011.

In his introduction, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Momodu Kargbo said his ministry normally presents the Finance Act to the House for approval every year. The Act, he said, was meant to improve on taxation in the country. He observed that the process was very much dynamic, adding that the bill has no exception and made provision to close some loopholes, discourage the importation of right-hand-drive cars into the country, among others.

Kargbo further explained that the bill made provisions for incentives to be given to employees and encouraged entrepreneurs to bring in solar power in the country. The minister pointed out that “anybody who fails to file a return of income tax without reasonable excuse, as determined by the Commissioner-General, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five million leones (Le5,000,000) or an imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both”.

He said the Act also imposed on imported right-hand-drive vehicles a surcharge of 40 percent of the C.I.F value thereof.

Hon. Bernadette Lahai of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party supported the banning of right-hand-drive vehicles in the country, adding that the importation of second-hand goods should also be banned and/or their taxation increased.

However, Dr. Lahai said government should give a grace period to those who had already imported such vehicles and items.

Hon. Ibrahim Sorie of the ruling All People’s Congress said they received the 2010 national budget in November, which according to him was about Le1.2 trillion, equivalent to four hundred thousand dollars [$400,000].

He submitted that a total ban should be imposed on second-hand goods but that the law should be implemented with integrity by ensuring that “all citizens are aware that Sierra Leone is competing with other countries”.

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