The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) is actively listening and openly engaging with all stakeholders and taxpayers.
FRCS CEO Mr. Mark Dixon made this comment at the CFO’s Breakfast hosted by the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) held at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday morning.
“Active listening and open engagement has been part of every consultation that we have been having with stakeholders and taxpayers in the past two months. If we are to form trusted partnerships – we need to understand your business and your tax or trade facilitation concerns” Mr. Dixon said.
“There is a huge opportunity for us to become genuinely service focused in our delivery in everything we do at FRCS, but it has to change from bottom up so that everybody working in FRCS Offices, at the coal face, understands the need to offer every tax payer a concierge type of service,” he said.
Mr. Dixon spoke on a number of issues at the Breakfast including revenue collection, FRCS staff, focus on serving stakeholders and partners and the systems and standards of the Service.
“The fundamentals of changing our culture are around our key values, we have to believe and live by these values everyday – respect, honesty, trust, loyalty, value every customer and we have to show empathy, kindness and courtesy because a lot of these small and big businesses that we’ve been dealing with in a “post COVID” world, have had a really difficult couple of years. So we have to be empathetic when we deal with them. We are not in competition with them, we want business to flourish, we want every business to grow. The more successful you are the better, we want to enable that success. We don’t want to create barriers to that success,” he said.
Mr. Dixon assured listeners that FRCS was taking a pro-active approach in the education and training of staff and stakeholders on the implementation of new online processes to make everyone better understand the new features.
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Tuesday 8 March 2022

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Australian Border Force, the Oceania Customs Organisation and RMIT University pay tribute to impressive cohort of women serving in Customs administrations across the Pacific region. 

If you think Customs is a job for the boys, think again!

Women across the Pacific are actively facilitating international trade, preventing the illicit movement of goods, and keeping our borders secure.  

Women are serving at every level in Customs administrations across the region.   Supervising Customs Officer Renie Asi shared: “We serve as frontline operational officers, in our headquarters, and in senior management roles.  New Zealand Customs Service is one of four Customs administrations in the Pacific headed by a woman.  We all take pride in contributing to the challenging and rewarding work of border protection.”

Captain Barbara Tayama from Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency explained: “I’m committed to keeping my country safe. Throughout my 28-year career in Customs, I’ve been involved in a range of rewarding career opportunities, including executing search warrants, surveillance and arrests.”

Senior Customs Officer Tale Tikoisuva is one of the first women to apply to work as a detection dog handlers for Fiji Customs and Revenue Service.  She explains: “Women in Customs are breaking the bias by stepping up to any challenge and showing everyone that we are competent and capable.”

Acknowledging the 2022 IWD theme, Inspector Michelle Bond from Australian Border Force said: “It’s time to break the bias.  Women in Customs are succeeding and achieving.  Women are disrupting drug trafficking, intercepting harmful shipments, detecting revenue fraud and representing their agencies with distinction.”

The Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO) encourages the next generation of women to consider an active, fulfilling and dynamic career in Customs. 

Daphney Stone, OCO Operations Manager who was the first woman to serve as CEO at the Ministry of Customs and Revenue in the Kingdom of Tonga said: “Women have been under-represented in Customs, but the tide is changing, and women’s engagement is expanding across the region.  We salute those agencies who are taking active steps to recruit, retain and advance women in Customs.

Phillip Dowler, the Director of RMIT University’s Transnational Security Centre explained: “We are currently working with 61 outstanding women Customs’ leaders from 17 Pacific countries through the Pacific Women’s Professional Development Program (PWPDP), and the message is loud and clear – WOMEN CAN!  Women bring incredible talent to Customs administrations.”

Are you interested in a career in Customs?  Tale Tikoisuva from Fiji Revenue and Customs Service has an important reminder:  “Nothing is impossible when you dare to believe that you can!”

Approach the national Customs administration in your country or find out more at the OCO website. 

The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) recorded $91.9 million in VAT refunds at the end of January 2022.
FRCS CEO Mark Dixon attributed the positive performance to improved strategies and a strong commitment by FRCS to honor its obligation to taxpayers.
“It is important that refunds are released by FRCS on time, just as FRCS seeks tax payments to be made on time. Given the impacts of COVID-19 and the recent floods, the release of VAT refunds can greatly assist in business cash flows,” Mr. Dixon stated.
“FRCS is holding a significant number of VAT refunds, which we would like to return to taxpayers but cannot release until they file their outstanding tax returns,” he said.
“As a proactive approach, FRCS will be publishing a list of Taxpayer Identification Numbers [TIN] of those taxpayers who qualify for VAT refunds but are yet to file the returns. These refunds will be released to taxpayers as soon as they meet their filing requirements”.
“We encourage taxpayers to come forward and update their records with FRCS or to seek our help to access the Taxpayer Online Services [TPOS] and file their returns accordingly.”
Mr. Dixon further added that FRCS is focused on the sustainable reduction of outstanding VAT refunds; returning this money to taxpayers and is optimistic of much reduced figure in the coming months.
He encouraged taxpayers seeking clarification or needing further assistance to call us on 3243000 or 1326 or email us at info@frcs.org.fj.
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Congratulations are in order for five aspiring women leaders from the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) for successfully completing the Container Control Programme – Women’s Professional Development Programme (CCP-WPDP).
Customs Officers Litiana Sautulevu, Losalini Daulali, Viniana Radinialoi, Asinate Rosi Taliga and Principal Customs Officer Akosita Valamalua were awarded with the certificates by the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Mr. John Feakes and FRCS CEO Mr. Mark Dixon last week at the Australian High Commission in Suva. Ms. Valamalua has also received an Excellence Award for her exemplary contribution to CCP-WPDP.
“It is fantastic to see FRCS working with the Australian Border Force (ABF) and Australian High Commission to deliver first class training opportunities to our future female leaders,” Mr. Mark Dixon stated.
“We are most grateful to the ABF for allowing us to celebrate the achievements of these talented females, from our Customs Division, within the residence of the High Commissioner – what a wonderful experience for our well deserving staff to be awarded their new qualifications by the High Commissioner, followed by an afternoon tea overlooking the port of Suva”.
The CCP-WPDP was held in August 2021 followed by an Alumni Workshop, conducted between 18-26 January 2022. The Alumni Workshop was a part-time, online initiative to provide advanced leadership training for women in customs administration. CCP-WPDP was launched by ABF, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and delivered by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University’s Hanoi–based Transnational Security Centre. 58 participants from 11 countries participated in CCP-WPDP including 5 Officers from FRCS.
Facilitating the legitimate movement of goods across international borders requires a diverse, quality workforce in Customs Administration, however customs continues to be a male- dominated profession. The CCP-WPDP is committed to bridge this gap by further enhancing
capacity, building confidence, promoting collaboration and empowering women officers as they advance in their careers in customs.
At the completion of the program, participants of the CCP-WPDP have tabled a commitment statement on how they will continue to strengthen women’s contribution and leadership in FRCS.
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The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) collected a net revenue of $154.0m in January 2022, outperforming the forecast by $9.5m or 6.5percent. The forecast for January 2022 was $144.5m.

This is the second consecutive month where the actual revenue collected by FRCS has surpassed the forecast.  The net revenue collected in December 2021 was $190m compared to the forecast revenue of $130m.

The positive revenue collections against the forecast in December 2021 and January 2022 has led to a cumulative six-month collection (August 2021-January 2022) of $781.5m resulting in a positive variance of $17.4 m or 2.3 percent.

FRCS Chief Executive Officer Mr. Mark Dixon attributed the strong revenue performance to the recommencement of international tourism and its positive spill-over effects, in terms of business confidence, on other sectors of the economy.

“There has been a significant growth in consumption related taxes including Domestic VAT (Value Added Tax), Import VAT, Fiscal Duty and Domestic Excise Duty in January 2022,” Mr. Dixon said.

“Domestic VAT recorded a total collection of $43.9m and is the highest in the past 18 months. This is largely from improved economic activity in December 2021 coupled with the re-opening of the international border and high festivity spending,” he said.

The improved economic activity has also increased demand for imported products thus resulting in high Import VAT and Fiscal duty collections.

Recommencement of international tourism has also seen a substantial increase in the Departure Tax collection. Departure Tax collection in January 2022 was $1.1m compared to the overall collection of $1m in the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

According to Mr. Dixon, given the improved economic conditions, collections are expected to maintain a positive trend.

He said while the last two years have been challenging for the Fijian economy, recent indicators suggest a more positive outlook for 2022. 

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The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) today, 26 January 2022, joined the global Customs community in commemorating the International Customs Day (ICD).

This year, the day is being celebrated under the theme ‘Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem’.

According to World Customs Organisation (WCO), customs data is intrinsically linked with how Customs functions; data is used to formulate strategies, improve the quality of the fight against fraud and the collection of revenue, optimize the allocation of resources on the ground and measures the performance of Customs units.

To mark this day, FRCS officially launched the Air Cargo Control Unit in Nadi which was established within the Container Control Programme (CCP) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organisation and funded by the Australian Border Force (ABF).

The Air Cargo Control Unit is tasked to profile air cargo consignments to prevent the exploitation of the air cargo for illicit drug trafficking and the smuggling of other illegal and prohibited commodities such as chemical precursors, arms and ammunition, endangered species, and items infringing intellectual property rights whilst ensuring the free flow of legitimate air cargo.

FRCS Chief Executive Officer Mr. Mark Dixon thanked WCO, UNODC and ABF for the continued financial and technical support stating this was a great example of “Customs to Customs Co-operation.”

According to Mr. Dixon, in line with the ICD theme, FRCS is implementing several new initiatives, which will deliver technological reform, greater efficiency, more security and transparency and higher standards of performance.

“Amongst other initiatives, we will also be reviewing the Customs IT environment including the ASYCUDA World.  FRCS has been automating manual processes in both Customs and Tax. This journey of digital transformation will continue in our endeavor to bring about efficiency and accessibility to all our services,” Mr. Dixon said.

11 Officers, 2 teams and 2 border partner agencies were honoured with the esteemed Certificate of Merit on behalf of the World Customs Organisation to recognise their achievements and commitment to the 2022 ICD theme.

International Customs Day was celebrated in Suva as well as Nadi, Lautoka, Savusavu and Levuka.

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The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Mark Dixon as the new Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Dixon has broad and extensive experience in executive leadership positions, shaping government and business decision making in Australia and internationally.

He is a graduate of the UK’s Royal Military Academy and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He holds multiple tertiary qualifications including a Master’s Degree in Science and Technology.

“We are very pleased that Mr. Dixon has accepted the position of new CEO for FRCS. He has extensive knowledge in strategic leadership, governance, culture and change management as well as experience as a Board Director.” stated Board Chairperson Ms. Fay Yee.

Mr. Dixon has held leadership roles, as both a CEO and Managing Director, within the local government and the tertiary education and training sectors in Australia. He also served for 30 years as a senior army officer (Colonel) with operational and diplomatic service in the US, UK, Europe, Asia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Mark brings a unique set of skills and perspectives to lead FRCS into the future. He will build on what we have already undertaken and we hope to continue enhancing our efficiencies, partnerships, community engagement and service delivery with Mark on board” added Ms. Yee.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Dixon said “I am privileged and excited to have been given the opportunity to work for the Fijian Government, the FRCS Board and all our staff as we work together, as one team, to drive service excellence, improved business partnering and ongoing organizational transformation.”

Mr. Dixon will take up the position of CEO of FRCS on 4th January 2022.
The Executive Chair, Ms. Fay Yee will return to her position as Chair of the Board.

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The Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA)’s claim that the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) retained an employee who was identified for the proposed compulsory redundancy because the employee filed a grievance with the Employment Relations Tribunal (ERT), is incorrect and misleading.
When Mr. Jitendra Krishna filed a grievance with the ERT, the period of consultation and review process on the proposed redundancies was still ongoing as per our notice of redundancy. No decision had been made on the proposed redundancy, therefore the application made by the employee was premature.
Apart from Mr Jitendra Krishna, there were other employees that have been retained by FRCS upon completion of the consultation and review process. The retention of these employees has taken place due to FRCS’ consideration of all the circumstances, and not as a result of any input from FPSA, nor any legal proceedings.
The retention of Mr. Krishna has nothing to do with any act or submission by FPSA.