Uphill battle against Corruption in Fiji.

Fiji Government bans International Evangelist screams the headlines of most dailies. The decison to
ban Rev Sun Myung Moon is probably related to fears of having patrons of his church in Fiji. A form of religous segregation with terrorism laced purposes that obviously impinges on the constitutional rights. Nothing new especially when Parliamentry proceedings of investigations take the slow boat to China. The financial position of Fiji's only super annuation scheme ( Fiji National Provident Fund) has relinquished the fiduciary interests of their registered members and has superceeded those rights with Fiji Government's unbridalled thirst for money and corruption, within the ranks. This Fiji Live article explains the reason of how the income of a nation via taxes will require greater scruntiny, as such attracts internal resistance.

FIRCA stands by tax secrecy provision
Tuesday December 06, 2005


The Auditor-General does not override the secrecy provisions of the Income Tax Act and the Value Added Tax decree, says the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority.

The authority today set the record straight saying that the assertion was rejected by FIRCA and this decision had been made known to the Auditor-General.

FIRCA chief executive Tevita Banuve said the Auditor-General did neither in the past or present have such a right, having regard to the provisions of the two acts administered by the authority.

"Taxpayers confidentiality is at the very heart of the tax system and without the strict maintenance of same, the very foundation of the tax base is imperiled," he said.

"This is the pattern in every civilised state. FIRCA, which forces taxpayers to divulge sensitive personal information, is under a strict duty to maintain confidentiality of same.

"The entire basis upon which the revenue laws are administered is undermined if taxpayers cannot rest secure that FIRCA will respect the secrecy of their personal affairs," Banuve said.

Referring to statements made by the Auditor-General Eroni Vatuloka in public that the situation was same with Reserve Bank of Fiji, Banuve said RBF access, such is specifically provided for within the Income Tax Act itself and the collaborative statutory arrangement between FIRCA and RBF, is essential to the functioning of the tax system.

Banuve said the authority was not obstructing access.

Fijilive

It was about time, some of these Senators from Fijian dominated constituencies raise the issue of Native Lands Trust Board and their litany of
abusive power over the Fijian landowners in Parliament.

This letter to Fiji Times Editor rationalizes the depth of the mud, which Fiji and her people are stuck in.

Parliamentary debate

I AGREE with S. Tuiteci's suggestion to televise parliamentary proceedings on a dedicated channel (FT 3/12).

In the US, there are two cable channels C-SPAN and C-SPAN 2 which run daily proceedings of the US Congress.

They also run proceedings of the British House of Commons, book reviews and public speaking engagements in educational programs.

I think the benefit from such a channel would be tremendous. People will be able to follow the proceedings, the conduct and contribution of elected officials and judge for themselves.

When Parliament is not in session, the station could buy and run tapes of the US and UK parliamentary debates.

It will help students of politics and politicians learn from the eloquent techniques of their overseas counterparts.

As for funding the station, political parties can buy time slots to advertise their messages for the coming election.

Book reviews on the channel could help generate interest in reading and raise the standard of literacy. It will also give authors a platform to advertise their work.

I sincerely think the government should invest in such a worthwhile venture, since it owns much of Fiji TV.

Praneet Singh
Sacramento

What a week

WHAT a week we had the chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs correctly pointing out how many Fijians wrongfully live below the poverty line. We have seen our elected representatives on both sides of the house acting more like performing seals than the politicians we elected them to be.

We have a stalemate on the land issue which benefits no one, least of all the landowners.

The Leader of the Opposition wants more Talanoa talks, even though he appears to have reneged on agreements that were made in past Talanoa sessions.

The Prime Minister continues to place ads in the newspaper to justify his position, which probably pleases the newspaper owners and his professional speech writer, but achieves very little in real terms.

Frankly, the people's representatives on both sides of the House should be ashamed of themselves.

Only a few of them are worth a fraction of the salary and expenses they draw.

They spent the past four years looking after their own interests first before the country and we will benefit if they sought alternative employment.

It is probably futile to hope that the next government and Opposition party will understand the value of land management and that land which lies fallow, like the 6000 terminated leases and surplus land the PM refers to, is worthless.

It benefits no one and does nothing to lift people from below the poverty line.

The Government should realise that a country's most important asset is the people and it is impossible to spend too much on education, starting at home and at pre-school.

It is the only way to lift a race out of poverty.

It's a pity that leaders of today do not realise that being driven at high speed in a four-wheel-drive with tinted glass gives them little vision.

But then, the four-wheel-drive is the status symbol they all aspire to a shame, really.

Rick Rickman
Lautoka

Club Em Designs