Kuwaitis and Expats decry bid to impose tax on remittances
Several citizens and expatriates have expressed disappointment over parliamentary attempts to impose tax on expatriates’ remittances, asserting most expatriates have very limited income. In an investigative report, they pointed out that imposing tax on remittances of expatriates is against the Kuwaiti Constitution; urging the lawmakers to follow in the footsteps of the best countries, not the worst.
They explained that putting pressure on expatriates continuously will make citizens bear the repercussions first before the targets. Bu-Jassem, a citizen, echoed this in the interview.
He warned that once such tax is imposed; the citizens will suffer the brunt, particularly in terms of services offered by expatriates like the mechanics, those repairing refrigerators, air conditioning units, and plumbers.
Adel Saleh pointed out that expatriates are already suffering due to the increase in fees for health services, especially those with low income who have chronic diseases. Due to financial difficulties, they usually decide to avoid going to the hospital in order not to pay hefty fees at the expense of their health, he lamented. He stressed that tax imposed on remittances will be the last straw which will break the camel’s back and it will prompt a large number of expatriate families to leave this country.
Musa Ghanim, an expatriate, suggested that if imposing tax is necessary; it should be applied only on those who remit more than KD1,000 a month, not an ordinary employee or laborer in the construction field who receives KD6 per day.
Source : Arabtimes
Filed in: All • Local News
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