He presented: “This is a maiden tax expo - Lekhetho Khotla, and it is not a once off event. To that end, the authority deemed it fit to arrange an annual tax expo Lekhetho Khotla wherein all relevant stakeholders can share their views on how both tax administration, tax policy and tax laws could be leveraged as instruments of economic development.” Scheduled at the beginning of the annual fiscal planning cycle, Mr Likhang stated that the expo sought to enable a conversation that will inform the authority’s advice to the finance ministry as the ministry decides on its tax policy priorities in the next year. “Moreover, the conversation will also provide the authority itself with feedback on how it discharges the tax administration function that it has been entrusted with, which includes suggesting appropriate legislative amendments.”

“This year, the main focus of the expo is on the role of taxation in tackling Lesotho’s current economic development challenges. Above and beyond financing the government’s fiscal budget through both domestic and frontier resource mobilization, taxes are also effective instruments of economic policy,” he noted. In attendance to a two-day tax expo are cabinet ministers and their deputies, heads of diplomatic missions, international organisations, judges, principal secretaries, other senior government officials and business persons, among others.