22 Sep 2006

Fiji's parliament hears accusations of embezzlement directed at Customs Authority

1:42 pm on 22 September 2006

Fiji's parliament has been told that felons and embezzlers are running part of the public service.

The Fiji Sun reports that the chair of parliament' public accounts committee, Bernadette Rounds Ganilau, made the accusation when she revealed that the Customs Authority illegally claimed millions of dollars in Value Added Tax refunds.

Ms Ganilau said that in 2004 the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority claimed nearly 2-million US dollars in Value Added Tax refunds on a government grant, despite the fact that the tax was included in the grant.

Mrs Ganilau said this claim has led parliament's public accounts committee to question the qualified audit reports of the Authority for the years 2003 and 2004.

She says the ministry of finance also erred by endorsing the Authority's claim which was in breach of the Value Added Tax Decree.

Ms Ganilau described the transaction "as an absolute crime" and said "full blown felons and embezzlers are running part of the civil service and they could do it again."