'VAT MACHINES ARE KILLING BUSINESSES IN GAMBIA,' BUSINESSMEN COMPLAIN
Business Owners Say The Gambia Is Not Yet Ready For VAT; Lamenting About The Worthiness Of The Machines
Local businesses in the Gambia are not the least happy with the recently introduced Value Added Tax (VAT) machines, which were imported into the country by businessman Muhammed Jah's Quantum net company. Their displeasure is centered around the machines' "worthiness, lack of reliability and proper maintenance" in the event of system glitch issues. The VAT machines were said to have been imported from Germany. The Ministry of Finance is reported to have spent D36 Million dalasi in purchasing the VAT machines. But the machines are not popular in the market. Business owners said the machine are not that effective and once it is reported faulty, it is hard to get it fixed. This is the machine that the regime uses to calculate VAT sales taxes leveled against consumers and business owners at cash registers.