THE Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority has investigated and recovered $2 million of the abuse of duty concessions.

FRCA acting chief executive Visvanath Das said there were some pending cases that the authority was still investigating.

“A duty concession is introduced by Government to assist projects in the country, but I guess we do not have honest taxpayers around,” Mr Das said.

However, Government yesterday extended the reduction of a number of fiscal and import excise duties on building materials until the end of this year to assist with rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Severe TC Winston.

In a statement, FRCA highlighted that reductions would remain in place for all imported sawn timber, which would attract 5 per cent fiscal duty.

The 10 per cent import excise duty has been waived. On imports of ply boards, the fiscal duty has been reduced from 32 per cent to 5 per cent.

It stated there was no import excise duty.

On imports of insulated wires, cables and electric conductors, fiscal duty has been reduced from 32 per cent to 5 per cent and import excise duty has been reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

On all items mentioned above, FRCA stated the usual 9 per cent VAT would apply.

Those concessions would remain available to all companies and individuals.

However, in order to qualify for the concession, consignments must leave the country of origin by December 3 this year.