As part of its strategy to further strengthen collaboration and to grow a trusted partnership with stakeholders and businesses, the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) organised forums, proactively engaged and visited business houses in the Northern Division.

FRCS held forums in Labasa and Savusavu which were attended by tax and customs agents, members from the Labasa Chamber of Commerce and representatives from Cooperatives in Savusavu.

The theme for the forum was “Collaboration for Compliance: Strengthening Partnership between Agents and FRCS” and the discussions during the forum featured several pertinent issues related to tax and customs including enhancing voluntary compliance, 2024/2025 National Budget revenue policies, tax incentives and duty concessions and re-activation of the VAT Monitoring System (VMS) from 1^st August 2024.

FRCS CEO, Mr. Udit Singh, executive management and senior managers also took this opportunity to conduct stakeholder consultations in the Northern Division. While in Labasa, they met with the team from Kashmir Transport Ltd, Food Processors Fiji- Batiri Farm, quarry as well as other farming projects. In Savusavu, the team met with the Assistant Project Manager of the Nawi Island Resort to discuss the progress of development of the project and how FRCS can help. Our team was extremely impressed with the developments in both towns which are enhancing the Northern economy.

Labasa and Savusavu have 97,626 registered taxpayers and the total number of registered businesses in both towns is 13,824. These businesses include 8037 sole traders, 790 companies, 292 partnerships, 155 cooperatives and the remaining are other businesses which have generated approximately $57 million tax revenue from 2022 to 2024.

According to Mr. Singh, it was extremely impressive to see the economic growth in the Northern Division.

“The Fiji Government’s Look North policy has seen a consistent focus and development in the Northern Division, and we can see that the economic activity and development in the North is increasing significantly over the years,” he said.

In line with its Strategic Plan 2023/2025, FRCS is committed to maintain its focus as being a customer centric organisation.

“Central to this is our commitment to listen, gather feedback, implement improvements to the business processes not only focused on enhancing customer experience but also reducing the cost of doing business and closing any tax gaps,” Mr. Singh.

During their meetings and visits to the businesses in the North, Mr. Singh and the FRCS executive team had discussions on the tax and customs issues and the challenges faced by the taxpayers. The FRCS team  assured them on working together on pragmatic solutions for the challenges.

“If we are to form a trusted partnership – we need to understand the concerns of the businesses and assist them. This is because we want these businesses to flourish and grow and FRCS wants to enable this growth as the growth of these businesses will contribute to increased revenue and economic growth for Fiji,” Mr. Singh stated.

Ends

FRCS MEDIA CONTACT:  Email: publicrelations@frcs.org.fj  – Phone: (679) 3243035.

The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) held a forum for tax and customs agents in Suva and Nadi as part of its strategy to further strengthen collaboration and to grow a trusted partnership with the agents. This was the first time for FRCS to hold the tax and customs agent’s forum together. Both tax and customs agents are essential pillars of FRCS operations.

The theme for the forum was “Collaboration for Compliance: Strengthening Partnership between Agents and FRCS.”

FRCS CEO, Mr. Udit Singh stated that FRCS recognises that both tax and customs agents are our key partners in the administration of Fiji’s tax and customs systems, encouraging and enforcing compliance in Fiji.

“Tax agents play a key role in Fiji’s taxation system in ensuring that their clients are fully aware of their rights and obligations and are complaint with the tax laws of Fiji. Similarly, customs agents function as a vital link between traders and Customs administration, bringing a wealth of expertise in customs laws and a deep understanding of the supply chain industry. They are also responsible for managing risk associated with customs compliance,” Mr. Singh said.

Representatives from tax and customs agents also made presentations in the forum. While presenting for the tax agents, Senior Partner, BDO Fiji, Mr. Pardeep Patel stated cooperation between tax agents and FRCS is critical for a well-functioning tax system and ensuring correct tax collection. According to Mr. Patel, tax authorities and tax agents both play critical roles for improved compliance with tax laws and for efficient tax functioning and for equitable tax system overall.

“For this relationship to be effective, it is essential that tax authorities are flexible and responsive to the needs of tax agents. By improving communication, streamlining procedures, and offering timely support, tax authorities can better serve both tax agents and the taxpayer they represent,” he said.

Representative of the customs agents, Mr. Ruwel Lal, highlighted the need for continuous engagement between FRCS and customs brokers as one of the ways to strengthen collaboration between the two agencies.

FRCS team also provided updates on the 2024-2025 National Budget revenue policies and the reactivation of the VAT Monitoring System (VMS) from 1^st August 2024.

Mr Singh assured everyone that extensive consultation and administrative support will be provided to ensure a smooth transition to VMS.

 “We will host educational seminars, taxpayer and vendor meetings, and discussion forums to address any concerns and challenges. FRCS is committed to collaborating with taxpayers, agents, and vendors to achieve successful implementation and as usual your cooperation is vital in ensuring the efficiency and integrity of Fiji’s tax administration system,” he said.

Mr. Singh stated that it is very important that people take compliance seriously.

“It is indisputable that good tax and customs agents have a positive impact on tax and customs compliance. We need your help to collaborate with us to enhance tax and customs compliance in Fiji as the tax, duty and tariff revenues support our government to make significant changes through the national budget, to infrastructure, to health, to education and all the other government priorities,” he said.

FRCS in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MOHMS), the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF), and the Fiji Ports Terminal Limited successfully conducted the Time Release Study (TRS) at the Suva and Lautoka sea ports to measure the time taken for the release and clearance of imported goods. The TRS is a method developed by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to measure Customs performance in clearing international vessels, aircraft and cargoes. It is an important aspect to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of border procedures and enhance ease of doing business.

Click on this link to access the National Time Release Study 2023 https://frcs.org.fj/our-services/customs/national-time-release-study-report-2023/.

“FRCS is strongly committed to maintain its focus as being a customer centric organisation and we have undertaken several initiatives on this,” FRCS CEO, Mr. Udit Singh mentioned this while opening our newly renovated and upgraded office in Sigatoka.

According to Mr. Singh, the upgrading and renovation of the Sigatoka office is an addition to FRCS’s commitment to provide excellent customer service.

“Our well-designed Sigatoka Office does not only convey professionalism and competence but also sends the message that we take our business seriously and are committed to providing a high-quality experience for your customers,” he stated.

FRCS office in Sigatoka has a self-service kiosk for our customers to access our services. Additionally, other improvements have been made in the office which would greatly impact on our efforts further enhance our customer engagement and experience.

“All our visitors should know that our purpose is “helping Fiji grow” and our strategic ambition is to “be a trusted, efficient, service-driven tax administration that minimises the tax gap and maintains the protection of Fiji’s borders for the prosperity of the people of Fiji”, Mr. Singh stated.

In addition to the Sigatoka Office, FRCS has also completed renovations and upgrading to its offices at the Suva and Lautoka wharfs and also in Rakiraki.

Our Chief Customs Officer, Mr. Mohammed Shameem was invited by the Fiji Police Force to conduct customer service awareness for the border police at the Nadi Airport.

Customer Service awareness and training is critical to improving interactions with visitors and facilitate better communication to create a more welcoming and efficient experience for travelers.

Mr. Shameem covered vital topics such as the principles of customer service, effective communication techniques, polite and friendly alternatives and the importance of great customer service.

It was an interactive session, and the participants appreciated the value and knowledge gained from the awareness.

Our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) team continued conducting trainings for the MSMEs on bookkeeping, online payments, basic tax, registration of taxes, financial literacy, Taxpayer Online Service (TPOS), Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), and provisional taxes.

 The provision of tax training to MSMEs is critical as we realise that a lack of understanding of the tax system can contribute to non-compliance. Training can help MSMEs enhance their knowledge of tax processes and improve voluntary compliance.

FRCS has a dedicated Support Centre for MSMEs to assist them with their tax obligations through free advisory services, mentoring, training and support. We encourage more MSMEs to take advantage of the free services and assistance provided by the FRCS.

For more information on training and assistance for MSMEs, please contact our team on 3243000 or 1326 or email at msme@frcs.org.fj.

Our team appeared on FBC’s Domo-ni-Vanua and Drishtikon radio talk-back shows this week to create awareness on various pertinent issues related to tax. Our team explained in detail the importance of the Taxpayer Online Service (TPOS), the different tax services on TPOS, how can these services be accessed and the benefits of TPOS.

We have been appearing on radio talk-back shows regularly as part of our continued education and awareness programs. FRCS aims to provide taxpayers with information that would empower them to have a basic understanding of the various tax types, how these taxes work and what is expected of taxpayers in order to be compliant.

The talk-back shows were very interactive, and our team answered all queries raised on the live program. We offer free tax educational programs on a wide range of tax and customs topics. Should you require assistance with this, please contact us on 3243000 or 1326 or email at info@frcs.org.fj.