TAX compliance has just been made easier for taxpayers to meet their tax obligations following the launch of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Services (FRCS) Compliance Improvement Strategy at the FRCS head office in Suva last week.
In a statement, FRCS labelled the strategy as a roadmap to improving taxpayer behaviour through voluntary compliance, enhancing education and awareness in the country and building trust and fairness in Fiji’s tax systems.
“FRCS recognises four taxpayer types which are voluntary compliant, unfamiliar, negligent and evaders,” FRCS stated.
“With the compliance strategy, each group receives tailored support, education or enforcement based on risk assessed.”
FRCS manager Risk Assessment and Financial Intelligence Rohitesh Dass said compliance played a key role in FRCS.
“Here we tell taxpayers what we will be doing for compliance. We’re not just going after them for audits, we tell them we’ll assist them where they need assistance, for education and awareness, all those.
“What we used to do before was just target them based on audit. But now what we’re doing is we are working with them,” Mr Dass said.
The newly launched strategy focuses on 11 areas of support including customer service, value added tax (VAT), customs imports and exports, border security, large taxpayers, agriculture, wholesale and retail, accommodation and food service activities, other services activities, non-profit organisations, and arts, entertainment and recreational activities.
“We’ll have an operational plan where we’ll work with the taxpayers and with our education team, our MSME team and our audit teams to educate taxpayers and also provide the right sort of assistance to ensure they meet their tax obligations.”
Officiating the launch of the strategy, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Prof Minister Biman Prasad stressed on the significance of ensuring a fair and effective tax system in Fiji.
“It is a shared commitment between state and public to ensure we can fund our schools, hospitals, infrastructure and essential services.
“This is a commitment that allows us to invest in our future,” Prof Prasad said.
The new strategy is expected to address tax challenges with targeted interventions and a renewed approach through education and support.
