The Public Accounts Committee believes that the state is losing millions of dollars due to a lack of transparency in the collection and distribution of departure tax at our international airport.

The Committee's findings into the Auditor General’s 2004/2005 report into the Ministry of Finance highlights that there was a lack of urgency in the Ministry's action to address the anomalous situation at AFL which had been given the task to collect departure taxes for government.

It said AFL had however delegated the authority to airlines and travel agents to collect the increased tax for AFL which would then submit to government after receipt from the airlines and agents.

The Committee found that AFL was unilaterally deducting what it was being owed by some ministries at source without supporting documents to substantiate the deductions.

The Accounts Committee said government had received 27% of the estimated amount in 2003 and only 55% of the estimate in 2004 highlighting a lack of transparency in the system because of government’s reluctance to either assume the responsibility or vigilantly monitor the operation.

Questions sent to Airports Fiji Limited and the Ministry of Finance on the matter remain unanswered.