Liberian Government Robbed My Family

 

Fact II: Over-taxing My Toyota Pickup
In presenting the first layers of facts, I would like us to review our previous fact, which had to do with the government of Liberia overcharging my Ford Explorer. As at present the Government of Liberia owes me $832.07, which includes the excess of 111.49 on 363.39, the 32.88, the extra 469.80, and the excess of 217.90 on the first 469.80 which the Customs Collectors claimed was 10% of $2519.00 (which should have been $251.90). This $832.07 I am asking the Ministry of Finance to reimburse me because there was no reason whatsoever for the Customs Collectors to have charged my wife. A government helps strengthen its citizens not break them down. If we must not ask what our country should do for us but what we must do for our country, then the government should not take from what it should not. We need every dime to help with the development agenda of the country. Having said that, let’s go to “fact two” which brings into the picture of my Toyota Pickup.

ALSO READ ARTICLE HERE

Levies on the Toyota Pickup
My pickup was old. That means it fell within the 20% punitive tax range. Since my wife applied for waiver, granted but was not respected by the Customs Collectors, we braced ourselves to pay whatever punitive tax. I must interject here again that it is not a good thing for a government to levy “punitive tax” on its citizens. The sound of it does not even look like our government thinks any better of us. You don’t punish your citizens. Could they have called it “extra levy”, instead of punitive tax?

My Toyota PC/HTP was made in 1991. It fell within the 20% punitive tax range. That means, the government would charge 10% of the value of the vehicle as normal duties, and levy another 20% as punitive tax for bringing it to Liberia. That’s 30%. We agreed. The Customs Officers told my wife to have her broker do the declaration and presented to them for assessment. Then the Customs appraised the vehicle’s value from the Kelly Blue Book. That is what they did to our Toyota Pickup. The assessment came up with four different levels of the value: Excellent value was $2496.00; very good was $2296.00; good was $2221.00, and fair value was $1821.00. The Customs chose the value of “fair” $1,821) to be the value that they will levy the first 10% and the punitive 20% taxes. Now by ten percent, the normal duty was $182.10 and the second twenty percent puts the amount at $364.20, making the total $546.30. This amount once paid the Toyota Pickup should have been released and cleared. Instead, the Customs office levied the charge of $593, which they claimed was 20% of $1821. They also charged for the GST (General Sales Tax) the amount of $54.66. They determined that the total money my wife should pay to clear the Toyota was $661.59. My wife went ahead and paid at the Central Bank of Liberia.

As she returned to the Freeport Customs Collectorate, Amanda grabbed the receipt from her and said, “This amount is small. I will put some more money on it…” She levied another $434.28. This time she probably just levied the charge without considering percentage. Then she told my wife, “Go and pay or be prepared to have the vehicle seized.” Out of frustration and anger, my wife also paid the money.

We all, citizens or aliens, should pay taxes that are set aside for duties. That is okay with us. But then the Customs officers are under duty to levy fair taxes, not overcharging customers like us. What makes this even more frustrating is that we came to the United States to hustle and return to contribute to our country. We cannot do so when our own brothers and sisters are ripping us apart with false charges and taxes. It is so wrong that someone will sit in her office and determine in her heart that everyone coming from America must be punished.

Besides, the whole idea of placing huge taxes on older vehicles or stopping them does not serve the best interest of the poor people. The Government is paying civil servants $125 per month and they want only new vehicles to be imported to Liberia. The Finance Minister perhaps has forgotten that these vehicles they are placing huge taxes on or banning are the same vehicles that help put our people one step beyond poverty line. We have our old vehicles in America and when we are returning to Liberia, our government is saying we should leave our vehicles behind and fight for taxi or fight to get on the bus in Monrovia. That does not make any sense at all.

In the third facts presentation with documents and receipts, I will show you how Amanda and the Freeport Customs Collectorate levied taxes twice on our Nissan Pickup. I will present the facts for the public to know we are being mistreated while we are trying to contribute to the development agenda of our country.