Customs 'corruption'

By Bernadette Hussein

One department recently

brought under the spot light for corruption is Fiji’s Customs Department, which boasts a history of shady deals. In 1995, 10 customs offi cers were discharged for allegedly helping second-hand car dealers evade customs duty.

Early last year, Fiji’s Public Service Commission (PSC) ordered an investiga tion into an alleged abuse of office by a high-ranking customs officer. The investi gation followed a complaint against the officer by the Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA).

The high-ranking officer allegedly helped some second-hand car dealers and failed to lay charges against an airline executive who imported pornographic tapes into Fiji. The airline executive was caught with the pornographic tapes by cus toms officers at Nadi International Airport.

Earlier this year, a senior customs offi cial claimed that corruption and bribery were rife in the department and were the cause of a multi-million-dollar loss in gov ernment revenue. These allegations per haps caused more impact because the offi cer admitted to having taken a bribe in December last year. He alleged that in December last year he was offered a SFSOOO ($1183480) bribe by a businessman in return for not pursuing a case of evasion of duty. He said this was normal practice in the department where the majority of offi cers were on low salaries. Officers were

earning between SFSOOO and SFBOOO ($1183480 and $U55575) per .year.

The officer claimed that: • there were more cases of evasion than those with correct paperwork; • in most cases of evasion of duty, busi nessmen offered cash to kill the issue; and • bribery was common and most cases were not highlighted because the depart ment itself decided on what action to take.

According to the Customs Act, most customs offences cannot be handled by the

department.

The officer’s allegations saw an inquiry into the department. The then acting finance minister said there was one case of bribery after another, and there was a need to clear the air. The FPSA came forward to say it had been writing to the Finance Ministry and the PSC, urging them to investigate allegations of corruption in the

Customs Department.

During this time, the officer who had divulged the information was charged, and the assistant comptroller of customs, Tanasio Naqarase, said this case was not isolated. He said the department received similar complaints every month and each case was investigated. No case was ever ignored, Naqarase said.

However, he claimed that the state of affairs in the department had deteriorated and this was a result of negligence on the government’s part. Finance Minister Berenado Vunibobo, who was out of the country at the time the scam was revealed, arrived a few days later and ordered a

review of the existing legislation affecting

the Customs Department. He appointed the

inquiry committee, made up of a prominent businessman and state solicitors. The inquiry commenced in late April and the committee has been given the task to find out if there are loopholes in the depart ment’s legislation and procedures to allow for abuse of office or loss of government revenue. The committee also has the task of determining if there has been any eva sion and breach of customs laws. It has also been entrusted to make appropriate recom mendations for the efficient and proper administration of the Customs Department

following the inquiry. Controversially, it

was a closed inquiry, despite the FPSA’s calls not to hold it behind closed doors.

The permanent secretary for the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations, Anare Jale, said the salary structure in the civil service was determined by PSC after nec essary consultation with the service trade unions concerned.

“The salary structure currently in place in the civil service, which includes police officers and customs officers, resulted from a job evaluation exercise conducted by pro fessional firms from abroad,” Jale said.

“The commission had again recently commissioned another job evaluation exer cise and the report of the evaluation is cur rently a subject of negotiation between PSC and the public sector trade unions.

“However, salary increases have been awarded to civil servants to accommodate cost of living adjustments (COLA).”

He added that it may not be correct to say that police and customs officers were low-paid employees and some earning below poverty line. As for low wages being a reason for bribe Jale said “There maybe other reasons for civil servants to [take] bribes, for example, greediness. I do not think that a serious situation of low wages exist in the civil service.” ■