Namibia slips on business index

NAMIBIA has slipped down the rankings of a business report published by the World Bank, which investigates the ease of doing business in 175 countries.

In the provisional summary published on the Internet, Namibia dropped from 39th position to 42nd on the world list of 175 states, but is the second African country on the list – ahead of Botswana. South Africa dropped from 28 to 29 but it is the highest rated African country.Botswana is ranked in 48th place, down from 44th last year.According to the report ‘Doing Business 2007 – How to Reform’, compiled by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, in the top reforming economies in the past three years nearly 85 per cent of reforms took place in the first 15 months of a new government.For a government that was recently elected the time to push through ambitious reforms was at the start of its term, the report said.”When the government succeeds in these early reforms, citizens start seeing benefits – more jobs, more resources for health and education, the appetite for further reforms grows.”According to the report, new technologies could also simplify interaction between entrepreneurs and the tax authority.In Ghana, new technology links the customs department with several commercial banks so that customs officers can confirm the payment of duties without any additional paperwork.Madagascar computerised its tax declarations in October 2005.If there is no change in information submitted previously, a business can file the same declaration again with the click of a button.The benefit was that the time to comply with tax regulations fell by 17 days.South Africa dropped from 28 to 29 but it is the highest rated African country.Botswana is ranked in 48th place, down from 44th last year.According to the report ‘Doing Business 2007 – How to Reform’, compiled by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, in the top reforming economies in the past three years nearly 85 per cent of reforms took place in the first 15 months of a new government.For a government that was recently elected the time to push through ambitious reforms was at the start of its term, the report said.”When the government succeeds in these early reforms, citizens start seeing benefits – more jobs, more resources for health and education, the appetite for further reforms grows.”According to the report, new technologies could also simplify interaction between entrepreneurs and the tax authority.In Ghana, new technology links the customs department with several commercial banks so that customs officers can confirm the payment of duties without any additional paperwork.Madagascar computerised its tax declarations in October 2005.If there is no change in information submitted previously, a business can file the same declaration again with the click of a button.The benefit was that the time to comply with tax regulations fell by 17 days.