Changes in the Customs (Budget Amendment) Bill 2021 will have the overall effect of improving the services of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS), its regulatory powers and the timelines with which FRCS delivers its service.
Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum announced numerous benefits of the Customs Bill in Parliament last Friday.
“It Introduces the licensing of freight forwarders to properly regulate them alongside customs shipping and airline agents,” he said.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the changes made would also allow ships to provide advanced notification on arrivals not less than 48 hours, allows the re-lodgment of claims for refund within 30 days of being notified of the decision, introduces provisions for the services of documents by electronic means; reduces the period of notice for notice of claims from three months to 14 days, reduces the period for procedure after notice of claim from two months to 14 days, introduces a penalty of $500 on persons that make payment of duty on cheques that are dishonoured, makes or directs a person liable for duty for companies that are in financial difficulties in line with the Tax Administration Act 2009, and introduces an offence provision for importers that do not maintain proper records as required under section 114A of the Customs Act.
He said the Bill paved the way for the regulation of freight forwarders by FRCS and introduces the definition of the term “freight forwarder”.
“Freight forwarder is generally management of shipments and ensure that goods are delivered according to the instructions of the client.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said pursuant to the changes in this Bill, freight forwarders would be now regulated under the Customs Act, like customs airline and shipping agencies, to ensure that they maintain professional acceptable standards of service.
He added that the Bill included provisions for the service of documents by electronic means as part of business modernisation and automation of processes which allows FRCS to serve documents by electronic means to importers, including foreign nationals.
