The Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority confirms that there are no tax issues concerning ministers in the Interim government.

In a statement this afternoon, FIRCA Board Chairman Filipe Bole stresses that while FIRCA welcomes any specific complaints of substance from the general public regarding any taxpayer who may be involved in tax evasion, they will not entertain any politically motivated smear campaigns as seems to be the case with reports by a local newspaper.

Bole said there are no tax issues with Interim Ministers on which appropriate action has not been taken when required or warranted and FIRCA is aware of similar smear campaigns launched against politicians in the past and has kept its distance from such insinuations.

He also stresses that the published information is not from FIRCA and those behind the circulation of these allegations against an interim Minister have political motives to discredit FIRCA and the interim government.

FIRCA also confirms that the suspension of six officers from duty has nothing do to with the unsubstantiated allegations in a newspaper report. Bole clarifies that these officers were suspended because of breaches of FIRCA's code of conduct and for their involvement in approving tax refunds from which they made personal gains along with their accomplices.

The Chairman said FIRCA has strengthened its fraud team which will investigate tax evasion and customs complaints involving staff and taxpayers.