Following a strike movement Monday, appeal launched by several public transport unions, to protest against the decision of the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) to now require the payment of a patent, the Government, that minimizes the effects of this strike, indicated that it did not intend to reconsider the application of the law of 10 June 1996, which requires the public transport drivers [Article 30], where they are on the national territory, to obtain a patent to operate their trade.

The protesters demanded the withdrawal of this measure, that they consider inappropriate, arguing that it will be a burden for owners of vehicles owners ensuring the transportation of passengers [?]

Andral Joseph, Deputy Director General of the DGI, has declared to the drivers who were demonstrating, that this tax charged did not concern the drivers, but the owners of the vehicles. As for the burden evoked by the protesters, he said that the tax base varies depending on the zone "The tax law divides the territory into 3 groups: the commercial area of ​​the metropolitan area [100 Gourdes], the capitals of the departments [50 Gourdes] communes and communal sections [25 Gourdes]."

"Our compass is tax law [...] We must uphold the principle of equality of citizens before the law. It should not be that some citizens pay their taxes and others do not [...] It is a source of income. They must pay their taxes [...] The DGI is open to discussion, but we will never turn us away from our mission to enforce the law," adding that it is anomalous that people refuse to pay their taxes.

For Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie, Minister of Economy and Finance "This decision is very important for the country. It is the application of the law [...] These movements can not, under any circumstances, change it [...] These taxes help to reduce the dependence of the state vis-à-vis the international community."

Several unions announces, other strikes to force the authorities to reverse...

HL/ HaitiLibre