Gold Card reward for consistent tax payers

Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama today rewarded 35 companies through a newly launched Gold Card Premium program and promised similar rewards for businesses and individuals with consistent tax and duty payment history.

He made the presentation while opening the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority (FRCA) Gold Card Premium Services in Suva today.

The principal selection criteria for membership, is compliance in the matters of taxation and customs and the frequent need for customer services in the course of normal business.

The Gold Card Taxpayers will be accorded priority customer services at the Gold Card Service Centre, located at the FRCA building in Nasese, Suva.

Benefits also include the full range of services, normally available at the different sections of FRCA which includes an entitlement of Personal Baggage Duty Free Allowance of up to $2000 at international arrivals, get priority services for passports and permits at the Department of Immigration, baggage collection and escort services by Airports Fiji Limited personnel, Express Lane priority services for all Inspection and Clearance services, priority check-in at the Tabua Club Counter courtesy of Fiji Airways and express lane priority services for all Land Transport Authority services.

Bainimarama said the companies that have been recognized are helping build the nation by stepping up to help pay for better infrastructures to keep Fijians safe and strive to ensure Fiji is poverty free.

He reminded members of the public that paying taxes is a civic duty which in turn contributes to the common good and the common wealth of the nation.

Bainimarama said the Gold Card Premium program is the realisation of a promise he made during the 2012 budget address where FRCA was directed to develop a program to provide expedited services and reward businesses and individuals who pay their taxes on time.

FRCA chief executive Jitoko Tikolevu said another 36 companies have been identified to meet the set criteria and will be added to the program by the year end.

“In fact anyone will be considered for the program including a taxi driver or any individual but based on compliance in the last three years,” he said.

The 35 businesses awarded today are ANZ Bank, Bank of Baroda, BSP Life, Carpenters Fiji Ltd, Central Manufacturing Ltd, Colgate Smile Palmolive, Courts, Credit Corps, Denarau Inter Ltd, Digicel, Fiji Industries, Fiji TV, FMF, Fosters Pacific, Goodman Fielder, Home Finance, Jacks Retail Ltd, Mobil Oil, Natural Water, Pacific Energy, Punjas N Sons, RB Patel, Rups Investment Ltd, South Seas Cruises, Tappoo Ltd, Total Fiji Ltd, Toyota, Tropik Wood, Vinod Patel, Vodafone, Westpac, Yanuca Island, Shangri La Fijian and Coca Cola.

By Mereani Gonedua