The staff of Banjul Breweries held a protest against the new tax regime the government had recently imposed on the company calling it “unfair and irrational”.

The workers, who gathered at the company’s offices on Monday, demanded that the government fast track the current negotiation with the company and reversed the 75% tax hike on alcoholic beverages which constitute a large chunk of the company’s revenue.

Eighteen workers have already been laid off as the company says it doesn’t have funds to pay its staff due to the new high tax regime.

The peaceful protest was organised by the company’s staff association and some of the protesters were recently laid off due when the new tax regime was implemented.  

The workers chanted: “Let the government reduce the tax on our company”; “We want to work”; “Save our jobs”; “No to heavy tax on companies”; “Barrow administration, no to heavy taxation.”

Alagie Ceesay, president of the staff association, said their main reason for protesting “is to send a message to the government for them to fast track their negotiation with Banjul Breweries concerning the high tax levy.”

“The management of the company has started laying off staff. We are afraid and worried about our jobs. The tax levy on the company is high and it is affecting us directly.

“The government is not fair to us. We want them to reconsider our plight and reduce the 75% increment, it is not rational when compared to their reasons for the increment,” said Mr. Ceesay.

He added that the management is planning to lay off employees which will increase the rate of unemployment in the country.

“Some of the protesters are already laid off. The message the government is sending to the outside world is to tell them not to come and invest in this country,” he said.

Peter Mendy, the accountant said: “We pay different taxes: we pay vat tax, excise duty tax, social security benefits among others.”

He said the government got the new tax hike wrong, pointing out that if all the taxes are added together, the total tax the company will pay will be 91% and leaving the company only with 9% of the revenue generated. He said that “it is irrational and unfair”.

He said that the responsibility of government is to create employment and not to frustrate investors.

Borri Darboe, Country Sales and Marketing Manager of the company said that he hope the issue would soon be resolved as the continued uncertainty is affecting the company’s revenues.  

He said the company’s stores are full with drinks due to the fact that their wholesalers have temporarily stopped buying the drinks from them. He added that consumers are also not buying their drinks which are affecting the company’s revenues.

Mr. Darboe said the negotiation with the government is slow but they are making progress.

“We are engaging the government and the talks are at an advanced stage.
We are hopeful that there is a window of opportunity at the end of the talks,” he said.