REPORT 2013

10 FRCA SIX MONTHS REPORT 2013
Critical Success Factor: Customer
• Seek excellence in every aspect of our interaction
Sigatoka and Rakiraki Offices begin Operations
These two offices were officially opened by the Prime Minister
and Minister for Finance, Commodore J.V. Bainimarama on the
25th of January. Stakeholders at both towns were invited to
join in the celebration.
It is noted that the two offices had started operating in the
last quarter of 2012. Now the offices have the full staff
complement required to serve customers at these areas.
Automation of Tourist VAT Refund Scheme
The Tourist VAT Refund Scheme (TVRS) was announced by the
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance as part of the 2010
Budget Policies. The scheme came into effect on 1 February,
2010 and allows tourists to claim a refund (subject to certain
conditions) of VAT paid on goods purchased in Fiji and taken
out of the Nadi International Airport and Suva Wharf. From
July 2013, automatic payments will be made for VAT refunds
to tourists under the Tourist Vat Refund Scheme. When they
leave the country, the money would be deposited into their
bank Accounts. This will eliminate the need to queue at the
ANZ BAnk counter at the Nadi International Airport and Suva
Wharf. This will also enable easier reconciliation for FRCA and
will also reduce fraud cases.
For ease of administration and easier access and closer
working relationships with retailers, the Customs Revenue
Collection section has taken over the administration of the
Tourist VAT Refund Scheme from the Research Policy &
Planning Development Unit (RPPD), with effect from Friday
1st March 2013.
Learning from the Best in the World
The Board Chairman, Mr. Ajith Kodagoda and Chief Executive
Officer, Mr. Jitoko Tikolevu, visited the Singapore Customs in
February 2013. They met Mr. Fong Kian, Director-General of
Customs, and other senior Customs Executives. The purpose
of the visit was to extensively discuss the learning’s from
Singapore on how to improve the services to business
houses and visitors to the country. It is a well known fact
that Singapore has one of the most if not the most efficient
Customs Authorities in the world. The turnaround time of
Customs entries and documentation relating to import and
exports, is only a maximum of 10 minutes in comparison to a
minimum of 48 hours in Fiji.
FRCA is looking at the possibility of introducing similar
incentives to assist Business houses who use Fiji as an export
hub to the region. Subject to certain guidelines, this would
entitle genuine businesses to import any goods to Fiji and
then use approved warehouses for transit and then re-export,
without having to pay any VAT, thus encouraging the export
hub concept, and assisting with cash flow as no funds would
be tied up in VAT payments. The Singapore Customs reiterated
their commitment to assist us in any way possible in the
reform process.
New Customs Valuation Guideline launched
To make assessments and valuation easier, provide more
efficient service to traders and promote compliance, a Customs
a valuation guideline was developed and launched by the
Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jitoko Tikolevu in February 2013.
The objective of the guideline is to equip Customs Officers
with the knowledge and tool of analysis and assessment of
Valuation risk. The guideline aims to identify and assess the
risk indicators, which are those factors that can increase or
lower the risk level to revenue and border protection. The
guideline can also be used to highlights ‘Import trends’ which
assists in effective profiling of traders.
FRCA and Land Transport Authority (LTA) work hand in hand
FRCA and the LTA have strengthened their partnership by
working hand in hand in providing superior services to
members of the public.
This was after a workshop attended by both parties in March
2013. The FRCA Customs officers and LTA officers participated
in this one day workshop aimed at working in collaboration
to facilitate trade in the country. The workshop discussed the
need for both bodies to collaborate in order to fulfill demands
and come up with mitigating factors and also the fact that
both Authorities have a social responsibility to the public in
ensuring that imported vehicles meet the required standards.
Taxation Roadshow
The Taxation Division with the assistance of the Commissioner
conducted an overall Taxation Awareness on the Draft Income
Tax Decree (ITD) 2013. The presentations delivered also
included discussion on the PAYE as Final Tax and the New Tax
Incentives for 2013. The Taxation Awareness program began
in the Western Division followed by the Central and Northern
Division.
Taxation Revenue (Customer Service Centre)
The Revenue Collection Section has various functions to
ensure its targets are met. These include: daily deposits of all
taxation receipts into the Government Consolidated funds;
uploading of all Tax information in the FRCA website and
conduction of taxpayer education and awareness programs. In
addition, the Section also ensures that Gold Card services are
delivered to Gold Class taxpayers, annual budgetary revenue
measures are legislated and Standard Operating Procedures
(SOP) and processes tested in the first quarter of every year. In
their attempt to enhance customer service and ensure accurate
and timely processing of all types of tax returns in the first
half of 2013, the Customer Service Centres processed 5117
applications for tax clearance, 19277 for TIN registrations and
44348 for lodgment.