The press cannot develop and achieve useful objectives for the corporation, the actors and the Republic, if the authorities make it an enemy, a sector to be destroyed. The Council of Publishers and Media Owners of Senegal (Cdeps), launched this alert yesterday during a meeting with the press.  They castigate the public presentation of the tax debts of press companies by the Minister in charge of Communication and demand total transparency on the amounts allocated and an investigation into the 800 million francs supposedly intended for the press.By Ousmane SOW –

Cdeps did not hesitate to respond to the statement by the Minister of Communication who shared figures on the tax debt and the Press Support and Development Fund (FADP). In front of the press yesterday, Cdeps denounced an attempt at « demonization » and « manipulation » aimed at weakening press companies and compromising their role in the Republic.

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Referring to the minister’s latest statement, Cdeps castigates the public presentation of the tax debts of press companies and the management of the Press Support and Development Fund (FADP) by the Minister in charge of Communication, describing this practice as infamous and illegal. « We denounce the falsehood of the announcements made during these public interventions. This is an operation of manipulation and demonization for political purposes to undermine the credibility of the press and/or to organize the disappearance of companies to create others, totally committed to partisan causes. The Cdeps notes that the amounts of tax debts owed by press companies and announced by the minister are inaccurate and notes that the figure given is a catch-all of 40 billion CFA francs, which aggregates simple duties, ex officio taxation and penalties. Cdeps finds it disgraceful and scandalous that of all the economic sectors in the country, press companies are the only ones whose data the authorities illegally publish, in total violation of the secrecy of their tax situation, » specified the employers’ organization. Further denouncing the use of such methods which, « aim to turn public opinion against press entrepreneurs thus presented as outlaws. »

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For the press bosses, press companies continue, as they have always done, to work with the tax authorities whenever necessary. « Press companies are therefore not refusing to meet their tax obligations and cannot accept that the authorities deprive them of their right to arrange the payment of what is due, » they specify from the outset.

The Cdeps, which is delighted with the success of the day without press decreed on August 13, also recalls that on the Press Support and Development Fund (FADP), the amounts announced by the Ministry of Communication are « knowingly incomplete » and far from exhaustive. In this regard, the Cdeps says it is surprised by the policy of « selective clarification » of the Minister of Communication and « demands » that the services of the General State Inspectorate shed « light on the amounts actually allocated to press companies and on the 800 million francs of press aid diverted, because they did not go to press companies ».