Jammy_Dodgers

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayA...on=theuae&col=

In a recent interview with Reuters, Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy and Planning, said that the UAE was planning to impose sales tax on tobacco products which becomes effective from next year.

“We are looking for imposing sales tax in some sectors such as tobacco,” the agency quoted her as saying.

This was regarded by observers as a possible first step to introducing sales tax on a larger scale in the country.

Malteser

[QUOTE=Jammy_Dodgers]http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayA...on=theuae&col=

In a recent interview with Reuters, Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy and Planning, said that the UAE was planning to impose sales tax on tobacco products which becomes effective from next year.

“We are looking for imposing sales tax in some sectors such as tobacco,” the agency quoted her as saying.

This was regarded by observers as a possible first step to introducing sales tax on a larger scale in the country.[/QUOTE

Smoking can kill u. Make u grow older quicker. Make yr teeth yellow(yuk). Make u smell horrid. Reduces yr sex life to a zero.......etc etc

CasaNova

What is she trying to prove??!


If she is that interested in removing the stereotyping of Gulf women as good in Kitchen ladies than I think she is doing the opposite.


Tax! so we will pay tax now and then she can take the State Oil Money and buy more make-up. If she is so interested in being mother Teresa than I reckon she place a TAX on alcohol.


Alcohol is the biggest killer(directly and indirectly) in the world than compare to Cigarette.

shoushou

Metaphorically speaking;they always begin with a kiss,and the next thing you know,youre knocked up....

alowicious_28

Hmmm, wonder how many people would leave if they did introduce tax??

As for tax on smoking pah (cough splutter phlegm)!!!

Autonomy

It's been discussed a lot - especially from the IMF strongly recommending tax being introduced to keep revenues high, especially if / when the oil revenue declines.

It looks likely to come in slowly, as with the tobacco. VAT most likely, not income tax.

On the revenue side, Directors were of the view that the revenue base needs to be strengthened to reduce its reliance on oil and gas revenues, and recommended introducing a value added tax in coordination with other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, expanding the base of the corporate income tax, and considering the introduction of a local property tax. http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pn/2004/pn0466.htm

We expect the GCC to implement a value added tax over the medium term despite current record oil revenues. A low VAT rate would be a positive step for fiscal reform and is unlikely to hurt competitiveness http://www.ameinfo.com/65828.html

IndieG

Hi,
Nope - General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, yesterday said that the UAE would remain free of taxation.
Shk Mo has been quoted in the Khaleej times "We do not have tax (and) we do not need to have tax.”
Lets wait until tomorrow and see whether he was misquoted by KT - so watch out for the opposite view in tomorrow's Gulf News

Anya

Desert Dweller

Alcohol is already taxed- as is food when you go to restaurants- 17% isn't it? If income tax was introduced it would be like rats leaving a sinking ship- as if the hike in rent hasn't scared enough people off.

CasaNova

ln 5 star restaurent they have municipality tax if they serve alcohol But there aint no tax on food.

Border Reiver

What will probably happen is the "stealth" taxes will spread and increase- the housing "fee", the cost to register your car, the fines you pay when you drive your car, the tax on meals in the hotels etc. I can cope with these taxes better than income tax because to some extent I have control over how much of them I pay- I can go into the city between 12 and 4 when you can park for free, I can eat out less and so on.

CasaNova

the gov. must make BILLIONS, the cost of a Labour permit is at 3k, and currently there are 1.2million labourers here.

W10

As has been mentioned - I must remember that line the next time I go to mmi or the next time I pay my DEWA bill etc etc

Not that I think these taxes are particularly harsh, they're easy to cope with and not really a problem at the moment. I just wish all 'rulers' (from Gordon Brown to Shk Mo) would actually admit when a tax is a tax instead of playing semantics.

MJC

How does that go, if you sing the first couple of lines I'll try to hum along!

IndieG

I guess he meant 'income' tax.

As for people leaving - ultimately it depends on whether you can find better opportunities elsewhere and how much you take home/save at the end of the month.


Anya

Rumble Tumble

guess i will move to canada then