BUSINESS & ECONOMICS |
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS |
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Monday, July 16, 2001 Online Edition 28 |
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Tax evasion costing government billions The nation's revenue department (DEI) has
informed the government that it is owed over Lps. 10 billion in unpaid
taxes. This amount, equalling
close to half of Honduras' budget of Lps. 25 billion, is owed mostly by
businessmen and merchants who simply have refused to report their earnings
or pay taxes on them. According to a July 4 report in the daily La
Prensa, the revenue department reported that income and sales taxes go
unpaid more often than any other taxes.
While the Tax Code and other laws establish severe sanctions against
tax evaders, the government continues to loose millions. DEI Executive Director Jorge Yllescas Oliva
said that over 3,000 businesspeople and merchants have thus far been cited
for avoiding their tax obligations. He
admitted that the actual number of tax evaders is much greater, stating that
the 3,000 accounted for were "just those who are registered, but there
is a large quantity of people who own businesses and are not paying taxes,
I'm talking about thousands." The government's revenue office has been
working along with international experts in an attempt to solve this issue.
Data bases are being upgraded and improved at the same time that new
information is being entered. Other
plans for upgrading the current system includes compiling a new census.
Yllescas Oliva said "within the next few months, we will have a
census that contains 80 percent of those people not registered." Additionally, the department is working on a
new project to measure and fight tax evasion, which will be continued by the
financial team of the next administration. In related news, the revenue department will
be opening a 24- hour office to receive complaints.
It will deal with any tax issues Hondurans may have. |
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Monday, July 9, 2001 Online Edition 27 |
Fuel
prices cut again After
reaching a high of Lps. 44 per gallon in Tegucigalpa, premium gasoline is
now below the Lps. 40 mark following another cut in fuel prices announced
Monday (July 2) by Minister of the Environment Xiomara Gómez, the daily La
Prensa reported. The
cost of premium gasoline dropped Lps. 3.03, from Lps. 41.74 to Lps. 38.71.
Regular gasoline was cut by Lps. 2.51, and now sells for Lps. 37.19
per gallon.
Kerosine dropped Lps. 1.10 to Lps. 23.67, and the price of a tank of
LPG dropped from Lps. 124.77 to Lps. 116.75.
There was no change in the price of diesel, which costs Lps. 27.22 in
the capital.
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