Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda says he is disappointed by Professor Oliver Saasa’s “petty stance” in his argument on the impact of Value Added Tax (VAT) refund to the economy.
Earlier, Prof Saasa who is Premier Consult managing director said retaining VAT and ditching Sales Tax was “icing on the 2010 national budget” adding that it was irresponsible for Chanda to back sales tax without carefully understanding its implications.
“…the manner in which the ZRA commissioner general was pushing it (sales tax) was in my view irresponsible. I think that we need to reengage the thought process at ZRA to make sure that we do not jump into systems and processes that we have not invested sufficient energies and resources to understand the implications. There was no study, to my knowledge that was undertaken that justified why the Commissioner General of the ZRA maintained the position that he had, especially where information from experts in this field suggests very clearly that there are challenges that need to be understood. And I am very happy that Honourable Minister of Finance [Dr Bwalya Ng’andu indicated that we have to undertake studies to understand it before we can look at it as an option,” said Prof Saasa.
But Chanda in a statement to News Diggers! said Prof Saasa is not an economist and does not understand taxation adding that the problem of VAT was genuine and real not only to Zambia but in other developing countries.
“First, Saasa is not an economist and does not understand taxation. The problem of VAT is real and genuine not just in Zambia but in all developing countries with limited value addition. A comprehensive analysis was done not just by ZRA but even by ministry of Finance. For ZRA our job is to implement government tax policy and we shall do just that. This is a national issue that I don’t expect any human being who pretends to be educated to reduce to a personal attack on me. I am not just disappointed about the so-called Professor but am equally worried about such pettiness,” Chanda stated.
And Chanda added that he was still of the view that Zambia must reform VAT.
“This level of pertinence by hungry and angry people masquerading as Economists is worrying. You cannot reduce a national debate to an individual. I had and I still have valid reasons why Zambia and many if not all similar economies in the world must fundamentally reform VAT. I was a tax consultant for 10 years within and outside Zambia and I know what I am talking about,” stated Chanda.
9 Responses
Unfortunate comments from Mr. Chanda. Prof Saasa is a respected and renoun economist
Mr. Chanda is very correct, we have a lot of educated idiots who are both hungry and angry. In addition they are very frustrated bitter chaps who ever wants to pretend like they know it all.
Pettiness not pertinence.
Anyone can be a consultant for so many years. It means nothing Mr Chanda. Who did you consult for and what field .
What wfre
Mr. Chanda, if there is somebody “masquerading” here it is you who are guilty of lacking moral integrity, honesty and required knowledge to head institution like ZRA. Under your “leadership”, ZRA has become association of incompetent thugs ignoring all statutory principles. And yet you the synonymous of incompetence, have “courage of the fool” to criticise tax-payers.
Shame on you incompetent fool
Hold on! The issue is remains the same: VAt or Sales Tax? The professor is on the supply side of tax policy and ZRA is on demand side of tax policy. ZRA is wasting time revising the taxation law of the country. The responsibility of ZRA is to implement existing tax policy. Professor is indeed an economic policy expert. The professor is a development economist. There is no development studies without economics. If you like, ask the Donald Chanda, distinguished economic adviser to President Chiluba. If you do not like the existing tax policy, then one option is to step aside. There is no need to appease each other here.
National matters are becoming personal.
Going by Mr Chanda’s arguements, I feel ZRA is in the wrong hands. Mr. Chanda play the ball and not the man. Your arguement is akin to Habaazoka who feels economic issues should always be left to Economists. If that was the case every household would be engaging the services of an economists. Trevor Manuel and Pravin Goddan were two fine finance ministers and yet they were from engineering and pharmacy background respectively. Prof is an economists and its wrong for Mr. Chanda to start behaving like a cadre….although we know he is a PF cadre