A Parliamentary Special Inquiry Committee appointed to investigate the allegation that the “Ministry of Revenue staff are dishonest in revenue collection” has found the claim to be true.
Made by the Member of Parliament for Gagaemauga No. 2, Levaopolo Talatonu Vaai in Parliament on 20 June 2013, the allegation resulted in the Speaker of Parliament, La’auli Leuatea Polata’ivao, backing a motion for a special investigation.
Now, a copy of the Committee’s report, leaked to the Samoa Observer, has backed Levaopolo, calling on Parliament to accept and “take note” of their finding.
“The Committee confirms the allegation by the Honourable Member,” the report’s conclusion reads. But that’s not all.
With regards to the release of goods from Customs without clearance, the Committee suspects that the cases they investigated “may be indicative of a corrupt network operating from time to time within the Ministry.”
In terms of handling cash stored at the Ministry’s vault, the Committee found that there was “total negligence on the part of the Ministry.” The report goes on say that the Ministry failed to abide by “the audit requirements of monetary controls” and had “breached the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act 2001.”
The Inquiry was initially chaired by former Associate Minister, Lautafi Fio Purcell. However, when he was appointed as the Minister of Public Enterprises following Faumuina Tiatia Liuga’s resignation, the Chairmanship role was handed to another member of the Committee, the Associate Minister of Justice, Taefu Lemi.
He was assisted by Vaimauga M.P., Lefau Harry Schuster as the vice-chairman.
Other members of Parliament included were Tialavea Fea Seigafolava (H.R.P.P), Afualo Dr. Wood Salele (Tautua), Papali’i Taeu Masipau (Tautua) and Tuisa Tasi Patea (H.R.P.P). The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Fepulea’i Letufuga Ropati, was also a member.
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On 20 June 2013, Levaopolo had accused the Ministry of being dishonest in collecting revenue. The allegation caused the Member of Parliament from Falealupo, Aeau Dr.
Peniamina Leavai to move a motion for Levao to table evidence to substantiate his claims. The motion was carried and Levao provided the House with evidence, which became the basis of the special investigation.
Among a stack of papers tabled by Levaopolo were a list of voyage numbers, consignee list, shipping agents list and a list of the type of goods.
Also tabled were Customs clearance papers among other documents.
“The Committee found that the cash in this vault had been there for up to 6months,” the report reads.
“This is an extremely lengthy period which reflects total negligence on the part of the Ministry. The Committee found that the Ministry had not abided by the audit requirements on monetary controls.
“They had also breached the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act 2001.”
According to the report, the committee recommends for the “Ministry to Review its processes”. It also suggested to have outstanding fees, “the remaining 6,599 entries left hanging on the system to be cleared”.
The Committee noted that the allegations that made by the M.P was refuted by the CEO of MoR who stated that “these outstanding entries have all been paid yet there are reasons why the entries remain hanging on the system.
“The Committee is mindful of the contradictions, first the majority of the entries are not for unpaid and unclear goods – this is confirmed when 21,967 of the hanging entries were cleared by August 2013 without any revenue paid to the Ministry.
“However, as previously mentioned, the Member’s allegation is partially true as the Ministry did receive some revenue as a result of the hanging entries included in the evidence.
“The remaining 6,599 hanging entries to date has not yet been cleared and we have no way of knowing whether these contains unpaid duties until they are cleared.
“The Committee therefore cannot put much emphasis on this point as both claims have faults.”
Asked for a comment, Levaopolo told the Samoa Observer that the allegations were not personal. He said he was playing his role as an M.P to ensure public accounts are accounted for and are well monitored.
“I’m being paid by taxpayers money and I’m required to do research on these things,” he said.
“What I raised is very useful because it will contribute in ensuring revenue for our country is collected and if the revenues were better monitored, the country wouldn’t have had to loan so much for the past years.”
Levaopolo added that by “digging this up” it will help “inform the Prime Minister about some of the areas that he is not aware of.”
Levaopolo pointed out that he doesn’t just speak about “rubbish in Parliament.”
Rather, what he talks about is “what is useful for the country.
“(The Ministry) it needed to be right because it has been happening for years,” he said.
“Like I mentioned before, it is good to help the C.E.O, Minister and the staff on their work so that they can improve.”
The report has been tabled before Parliament and it could come up for discussion when Parliament continues today.
The report will be published in full starting tomorrow.
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