via Govt should consider taxing land owners – Mzembi 31 October 2014
GOVERNMENT should consider taxing farmers with large tracts of land to generate revenue, Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Walter Mzembi said yesterday.
Mzembi told students at the University of Zimbabwe that it was only practical to consider extending taxes to where there was higher revenue instead of starting from the bottom.
“If we are able to get tax from smaller businesses like those of airtime vending, then why not also look at taxing those with large hectares of land in which they are producing from freely?” he said.
In his mid-term fiscal policy review, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa introduced a raft of measures such as taxing airtime and increase in duty on fuel to raise additional revenue for the economy.
Mzembi said his plans to achieve a $5 billion tourism economy was achievable, adding that the future of Zimbabwe and Africa’s tourism remained very promising on the back of the continent’s massive natural resources and its youthful population.
He also said that the current tourism performance was not concomitant with the natural and cultural tourism resources.
“We need to have a starting point which is revaluing our economy and we need to work back on recovery strategies,” he said.
Mzembi said there was need to put economic issues ahead of politics to grow tourists arrivals.
“We need to create better means for Zimbabweans who are locally based to partner in businesses with those in those in the diaspora. This will certainly give them a reason to want to return home as well,” said Mzembi.
Mzembi said he planned to grow the domestic tourism market by focusing developing mid-range or budget accommodation in most of the provinces among others.
COMMENTS
The mind boggles with these guys.
Tax Farmers because they are producing freely from the land??? Farmers used to be one of the largest tax bases in the good old days(days of food and plenty)Does this mean these new farmers who were given land, inputs, discounted fuel, equipment and more were tax exempt?
African youthfull population, well if you idiots didn’t destroy everything then the life expectaancy might stretch to over 50???
We need to create better means for Zimbabweans who are locally based to partner in businesses with those in those in the diaspora. This will certainly give them a reason to want to return home as well. Errr you lot chased them out, do you really expect them to return? If they return more than likly they will vote you out…
Start in Mazowe with the Mugabes and have a Theft Tax for the land they stole from the Websters?
The minister is like achild in a candy shop,thinks all his ideas sre great.1-amusement park near the fall,will probably spoil our pride n joy,2-disneyland near the airpot,clearly thinks urban is better than natural flaura n fauna as well as peace n quiet.3-school buses to carry children to these places, 4-taxing land owners.i think as the min o tourism this guy should seriously consider safeguarding the environment.some of us have children.
But the government owns all the land, right? Is the government going to tax itself?
GOVT SHOULD REVAMP ECONOMIC POLICY….NOT WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING MR ‘BEST MINISTER’!