FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Lamin Fatty
2 November 2009
The members of the tractor owners association in URR have expressed concern over what they called high license fees charged on them, the tractor owners; which they say is a clear indication that the development of agricultural sector is still not taken seriously by the present government
Speaking to this reporter recently, a disgruntled tractor owner (name withheld) said the amount charged on them on annual basis has reached a point that the tractor owners have no option but to openly express their concern to the authorities to come to their plight.
According to him, most of them took the bull by the horn by singly committing themselves in utilizing their meager resources, just to answer to the president's call for back to the land but stressed that the amount charged on them if not reviewed, could discourage many tractor owners and the government he opined cannot do it alone.
He pointed out that in 2008 they paid D13, 000 (thirteen thousand dalasis) and in 2009 D14, 050 fourteen thousand fifty dalasis. He said they could pay more than D15, 000 in 2010. He stated that it does not make sense for them to pay such an amount when they are duty free at the ports.
This reporter approached the president of the transport association in URR Momodou Trawally who confirmed the concern raised by the tractor owners. He said the amount charged on them is very high and they are out to complement the efforts of the government in the agricultural sector of the country but also opined that the government alone cannot solve the problem of the URR farmers without the full support and participation of the private tractor owners.
He said the URR has over eighty tractors which makes the contribution of the tractor owners immense and cannot be an isolated issue. He urged the tractor owners to maintain patience and do all that is necessary for the authorities to be aware of the situation so as to remedy it.
When approached, the police commissioner in URR, also confirmed the concerns raised by the tractor owners over high license fees, but refer this reporter to the license office for comment. However efforts made to get the opinion and comment of the license officer did not materialized. Efforts will be made to get his comments over the issue.
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