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Uganda: Private Sector Agency Wants Fake Goods Dealers Penalised
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New Vision (Kampala)
8 June 2008
Posted to the web 9 June 2008
David Muwanga
Kampala
THE Private Sector Foundation has asked the finance minister to impose a sh10m fine on traders dealing in counterfeit products.
Gerald Sendaula, the agency's board chairman, argued that the penalty clause under the current legislation was not punitive enough to discourage the practice.
"Therefore, the Government should further rise the fine to 500 currency points (sh10m) and set the prison sentence to five years minimum with no bail option," Sendaula said during the presentation of the foundation's budgetary proposals for the year 2008/2009.
He said the offenders should be exposed to the public to act as a deterrent from further trade or production of counterfeit goods. Sendaula also proposed the establishment of a regional and international link with other anti-counterfeits bodies to curb the importation of fake goods.
"Other priority areas the budget must consider are reducing the high cost of doing business, enhancing efficiency of productive sectors in order to create wealth through value-addition particularly, in the agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and services sectors," the agency said in a statement. "The budget should increase technological and human resource proficiency to support industrial growth."
The agency disclosed that an assessment tour of the Central Corridor transit route identified Dar es Salaam-Mwanza-Port Bell-Kampala rail and water as the most cost-effective alternative route for Uganda's business trade activities. "However, the use of this route is still limited by the absence of functional water transport vessels and a sufficient rail network to Mwanza.
"We recommend that the Government should expedite the repairs of MV Pamba and MV Kaawa to ensure sufficient locomotives/wagons on the above route and, encourage private investment in ferry/barges, storage and handling at the Ports of Mwanza and Port Bell to facilitate Uganda's cross-border trade."
The statement said the members noted that there are regional transport imbalances arising from a 25% import duty on trucks that is not charged by Kenya and Tanzania.
Other cases include Kenya's prohibitive transit law that restricts Uganda's trucks from transporting exports into Kenya.
There is also disparity in transit fees. Kenya's transit trucks into Uganda pay $43 as transit fees, while Ugandan trucks pay $200.
The private sector also urged the Government to ensure adequate capacity of fuel at all the reserves across the nation.
It also urged the Government to expedite the completion of the Jinja-Bugiri highway to eliminate the unnecessary costs incurred by transporters and to repair the internal transport road links.
"Uganda requires an all-inclusive incentives envelope to be able to competitively attract local and foreign investments. This package must focus on the rural areas where the impact of employment and income generation will benefit the majority of Uganda's population, thereby reducing poverty. Key among the incentives is transport, energy and telecommunications infrastructure."
The agency also echoed the long overdue liberalisation of the pensions sector.
"This will not only provide the required long-term funds to develop capital markets in Uganda but also encourage a domestic savings culture to enhance local investments.
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"We urge the Government to expedite implementation of the regulatory body."
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