No-one anywhere likes paying tax, least of all citizens of Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world. But increasing numbers of Burundians are now paying tax since the launch four years ago of a new tax authority, the Office Burundaise des Recettes (OBR).
In the last three years OBR has doubled the government’s tax take from 300 billion to 600 billion Burundian francs after a root and branch overhaul of the entire tax and customs system led by its Commissioner-General, Kieran Holmes, a consultant identified and supported by TradeMark East Africa.
It is now regarded as a model tax collection agency in Africa and is visited often by other nations keen to emulate OBR’s success. Only about 4% of the nation pays tax, but that’s up from 1% three years ago under the previous system, which was riddled with corruption. “Bribery got you a tax clearance certificate or exemption; tax and customs agents abused their power to enrich themselves. That’s all changed,” says Holmes.
To broaden its tax base OBR brought in MediaTrain consultant Andy Hill to help its officers speak to the public through the media and to persuade people that OBR is a clean and transparent agency, and the money collected is spent on development projects. “We need people to understand that paying tax is an investment in their future,” says Fiacre Muhimpundu, OBR’s acting Communications Director. “There are a lot of negative perceptions to be changed, and we need to be skilled when dealing with the media because it is through the media that we will reach the public.”
Hill, training in French, helped a dozen OBR officials understand the concept of “Messaging” to make maximum media impact in the shortest possible time, and to write Press Releases, prepare for TV and radio interviews and other encounters with journalists. “It was very intense, very hard work but very enjoyable,” said Muhimpundu. “But every one of us now has a confidence to deal with the media that we never had before this training.”
Do you need to get your messages across to a public that doesn’t understand? MediaTrain can help you. Get in touch.
Andy Hill, Africa Director
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