A good overview of the Chaudary Tax Evasion Scandal
This was posted by a blogger called Damanu!
@Island Boy & Yanu: Choro’s accountants GLal first told FIRCA that the funds were held in Trust when Aust Tax Office informed FIRCA income matching unit about the principal sum and the investment income on that sum.
Two weeks ago FLP Treasurer Nasinu Mayor Rajeshwar Singh (reinstated 2 months ago by illegal Urban Affairs Minister Vayeshnoi the FLP Asst Gen secretary after Navakamocea sacked that Council) told the world that all the money collected by Choro was used by the FLP at the Valelawa and Vanua Levu refugee camps (and probably also in the Chandrika case and other camps setup by FLP after they advised farmers to leave their ALTA leases and bcome refugees; and the sums were recorded in the unaudited FLP accounts.
So we can see a clear pattern of lie upon lie by Chodo
- eg: first he tells FIRCA thru his Accountant that the funds were held in trust
- now he tells the “independent” tax tribunal arbitrarily appointed by Vore that he thought that investment income should only be taxed by FIRCA when he transfers it to Fiji.
- In between, in 2005 he lies to Parliament that he never received any money from Haryana
- then he gets the Nasinu Mayor to say the funds were used by FLP in the Valelawa and other FLP projects
- then in technicolour, on TV1 news lastnight he tells Fiji and the world that the money is for his own personal use, in case his family need to relocate to Australia. (so thats why he’s still keeping it 
- He cannot now claim that he didn’t know the tax law in 2004-5 when FIRCA queried him about the investment income, where he claims that he thought FIRCA will only tax that income when he transfers it to Fiji - this is the time when he is shadow Finance Minister (from 2001 to the 2006 elections, the period in question), he led the Opposition in the debates on the various Tax Act amendments that Qarase’s SDL tabled in Parliament - IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT WHILE DOING THAT DEBATING ON THE INCOME TAX ACT CONSOLIDATION IN PARLIAMENT, that he was unaware of the legal requirement to eg: file his returns on time (2001-3 returns filed in 2003/4); declare that investment income on those 2001-3 returns; pay tax on that investment income.
The Tribunal concludes that FIRCA and RBF did not break the law. But the public deserve to know given this govt came to power on the “cleanup and anti-corruption and good governance” platform:
1. Where did Choro get the principal sum in those aust bank accounts
2. Did Choro declare all his assets and liabilities to the interim PM when he was sworn in by Joe Mirror as Interim Minister? did that include all those overseas investments and homes? - Vore said this would happen with all the Ministers
3. Is there a code of ethics that covers cabinet ministers? if so - does choro’s behaviour todate breach that code of ethics (ie honesty, not to bring the cabinet into disrepute, not to bring his office into disrepute)
4. When did choro finally clear up his tax liabilities to FIRCA - during the tax amnesty of 2007?
5. Choro himself tried to bring in a code of conduct for all ministers, judges and public servants - that involved declaration of all assets and conflicts of interest in a register to be kept by the Ombudsman - has he during his time in parliament from 2001-2006, kept to the spirit of that code of conduct and ethics that he promised in the 1999 elections and which his govt was going to implement - from 2001-2006, he railed at the Qarase govt for failing to bring in that Code of Conduct law - while he was criticising Qarase, was Choro himself in line with that rhetoric that he spewed?
I think this govt is on its last legs - Vore’s sticking by choro thru thick and thin against the wishes of the military council and the rfmf rank and file is going to spell the end for them. Never mind Vore’s response last Thursday insisting that the economy is on the mend - RBF latest figure is inflation at 7.6%. In the meantime, he is acting Finance Minister (but on leave) and Choro is staying well out of sight until the coast is clear.
Typical koli ni kaidia….
They think that they have made a closure with the Team that reported yesterday but no, it aint over till we the people decide so.
The fat lady hasn’t sung yet!!
March 12, 2008 at 10:18 pm
The silence of ngos like ccf and ecrea is deafening. Usually, they’d be picking up all the inconsistencies and going after any Minister (ok maybe they’d only go after an SDL Minister) and calling them on the inconsistencies and hypocritical statements. But no.
In a normal democracy where the various institutions of state are INDEPENDENT, an office like the Elections Office (Commissioners AND Supervisor) would be asking the FLP for their audited accounts. But of course, the curent crop is appointed by aiyarse and thyve’ got their gobs shut tight. PS Justice thinks he controls the Elections Office (since when did Elections come under Justice - usually it is under PMs Office but thats another story) and any sudden move by the Acting Supervisor would be shut down PDQ and he’d be relegated to his old post.
In a normal democracy, the Auditor General would be auditing the performance of FIRCA - to be seen whether they will do so when it looks like this Tribunal came and sat for three days and declared FIRCA and RBF squeaky clean.
In a normal democracy, a govt would not be declaring the matter at an end and would not shut down other agencies that have jurisdiction in this matter - eg FIRCA, Police, Elections Office (over FLP) and Auditor General.
But then we don’t have DEMOCRACY do we?
March 12, 2008 at 10:21 pm
The above questions are the ones that should be asked of these nutties and we all expect, at least, an above average answer from them. It is obvious, as Damanu had clearly spelt out above, that Mahendra Chaudhry never really had any integrity in him. I bet the fulla does not even know what it means. I mean, seriously, are all members of the military blind or are they all in the land of the never never, never really knowing whether they are coming or going. Anyone intelligent enough will surely look thru all the lies and the deceits and make their own assessments and judgements about the Choro and his empty ravings and all the dramas and the droinis. But then soldiers are not really known for their independence. They are so dependent of their superiors, they actually let the superiors do the thinking for them. Isn’t it sad?????
March 12, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Transparency International rejects inquiry report
12 Mar 2008 00:52:55
Transparency International has rejected the independent inquiry report into Mahendra Chaudhry’s tax affairs. T.I Fiji Chair Hari Pal Singh says the Terms of Reference for the the inquiry lacked objectivity as it should have sought further details on any possible breaches of the Income Tax Act. After the inquiry team stated there was lack of information on the Exchange Control Act, Singh has demanded the Reserve Bank of Fiji publicly announce whether any such breach was committed by Chaudhry.
He adds Chaudhry should step aside as the report is incomplete and requires more detailed investigations
March 12, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Finally BuiJacobite speaks
Chaudhry detractors should apologise: FLP
12 MAR 2008
The Fiji Labour Party has welcomed the findings of the independent inquiry into the allegations of tax evasion against FLP leader and interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.
The party released a statement today after an FLP management board meeting Tuesday.
“They should shut up once and for all and they should apologise to Chaudhry if they have any decency,” FLP President Jokapeci Koroi said.
A report by the independent inquiry into the tax affairs of Chaudhry has found “no basis on which the minister should have been charged with tax evasion”.
March 12, 2008 at 10:25 pm
After the silence of the whole of the last four weeks (how hard it was for her not to use her pink lipstick and blue eyeshadow for the TV after Chodo told her to keep ‘radio silence’), the original BUIJO, Bubu Jacobite speaks:
Too late to begin political dialogue: FLP
12 MAR 2008
The Fiji Labour Party management board has said that it is too late for the Commonwealth to begin political dialogue in the country.
FLP President Jokapeci Koroi said the Commonwealth initiative has been overtaken by certain key developments on “our political landscape that make such dialogue meaningless”.
Meeting for a number of political parties was engineered by Sir Paul Reeves who was appointed as the Commonwealth Special Envoy to Fiji.
But it was unsuccessful due to a withdrawal by one of the political leader who was believed to be interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.
The meeting was scheduled for last week and Bainimarama, ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Mahendra Chaudhry, Raman Pratap Singh and Mick Beddoes was supposed to attend the meeting.
Meanwhile Koroi said that first of all, the ousted SDL government has challenged the legality of the interim government in court.
“How can it enter into political dialogue with people whose legitimacy it is challenging?”
Koroi said it is also to be noted that Qarase faces criminal charges of abuse of office.
She added the interim regime has already begun a process of national dialogue through the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) to formulate a charter for the restoration of democratic rule.
Koroi said that the NCBBF has a much broader platform for dialogue since it involves not only the political parties but the entire cross section of Fiji community.
March 12, 2008 at 10:27 pm
RBF responds to Transparency International, without really saying whether Choro breached the Exchange Control Act:
RBF Clarifies Policies on Foreign Accounts
The Reserve Bank of Fiji has today confirmed that the opening of new foreign currency accounts by local citizens has suspended in December 2006.
In a statement this afternoon, the RBF said due to numerous inquiries, it wishes to clarify its foreign currency accounts by Fiji residents.
The Bank said foreign currency accounts may be opened by Fiji residents with the approval of the Reserve Bank and in 2003, the RBF delegated this approval to commercial banks for amounts less than $20,000 per year.
However, the Reserve Bank said the commercial banks will need to sight a tax clearance certificate from the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority.
This comes after numerous questions were raised to the Reserve Bank of Fiji following revelations that Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry held monies in overseas bank accounts which were not declared in his tax returns.
March 13, 2008 at 12:10 am
Kudos to brave brave Qarase for giving evidence in his court case today.
For those of you still up - check Fiji One with that McCoup trying to throw his (over)weight around. That guys just trading on his reputation now, sa qase o tukai. Just alot of bluster, but Qarase’s sticking to his guns. Se simati ni veilewai taki Ilikini, ia oqo, sa guiguileca, sa vaqakoro tu ga.
Shows how the IG and their lawyers have indoctrinated themselves - McCoup cannot accept an answer he does not like and keeps asking the question in 12 different ways. The question is answered fool… move on!
But do we see Frank or Chorodowry anywhere near the court? Rau tutuvi pulou toka orau na kalavo.
As is typical of Frank’s dictatorship, they try to delay the case as much as possible and we can see the judges even getting into the act.
Worry not, justice will be done and you will have your day in the dock. You’re lucky this is a civil case you can hide behind your lawyers who try to change their arguments around and try to find all the technicalities they can to delay the trial and then insist they won’t cal the 28 people who made affidavits for the IG to prove necessity and acquiesence.
On this day McCoup, you’ve earned your 30 pieces of silver just for keeping Qarase on the stand (charging for each extra hour and rephrased question). But don’t let it go to your head, you’re just a load of hot air, posturing, sneering, spitting, sarcastic, POSER.
If you were a prostitute, you’d have been kicked out a long time ago… stretching out the 4 questions you want to ask to 3 hours of rephrasing the question 20 different ways and trying to intimidate and browbeat Qarase to say what you want him to say.
E sega ni ura me tei damu rau! Laurai na qase nei Mccoup ni kacivi Bainimarama me soli vakadinadina… qai vela ni kaya tale o Gaytes… ni cala na yaca e kacivaka!
March 13, 2008 at 12:24 am
Jokapeci koroi’s statement is to be expected. It came from none other than Choro’s very own table and submitted to the media via the FLP..
That is the snake at its worst!!. But interesting enough is his personal confidence to hiding the truth..In his view, he is indispensible and at no point at all will he be taken to task by anyone..Bainimarama’s failure to deal with him speaks volume of the fact that he no longer is in control of the situation. Choro himself has become the Boss by virtue of recent developments..He has fooled everybody and is having the last laugh. That ppl is Choro- the Chameleon, who changes his skin color whenever the situation warrants it..Jokapeci Koroi and others are all but decoys effectively playing their role to satistfy their Master at his whims. Era kaivesu kece tu ga..Na valoloma levu!!!. Na cava dou sa caka tiko mai na keba ni Mataivalu mai Nabua?..Dou yadra m ai..O la oqo [Choro] ena mai kani keda kece..Dou waraka, namaka toka!!!
March 13, 2008 at 1:58 am
I hear Chodo and Koroi jointly own a property in Brisbane - or Koroi’s granddaughter - Jacqueline - can some sleuth check the Lands Registry for titles in Brisbane - where was she all the time when questions were raised about the tax saga
March 13, 2008 at 7:08 am
Yeah Anon,watched trial proceedings with LQ on the stand.
McCoy has this habit of talking so slowly as if everyone else in the court were imbeciles.The only reason he was doing that was to drag the proceedings as long as possible concidering he was charging the tax payers by the hour.
And his opening line of questions to LQ just goes to confirm this.He asked about Vanuabalavu in very minute detail,like,what is the population of the island? is there an airstrip ? is it the largest island in nothern Lau ? do you have phones/fax ?
Caita ! sa vo ga me kerei LQ me cavuta yaduadua mai na yacadra kece na kai Vanuabalavu.
Here is this illegal regime trying to pin a treason charge on LQ .They have paid all these expensive lawyers with taxpayers money when they themselves have committed a henious crime of illegally removing a democratically elected govt.
On judgement day all these bastards will be rounded up and made to answer for their crimes.
March 13, 2008 at 8:20 am
Trues up NP. I wonder what has the demographic and geographic details of Vanuabalavu got to do with the case. All I can say and agree with you is that they are just prolonging the proceedings as they try to clock up the hours they will be charging. What pisses me off too is the fact that we are paying for this lawyers to defend the criminals with our tax money which we did not approve of. What a terrible waste of valuable resources. Let us pray that justice will prevail in this important trial. In fact we should be seeing all these crims in the ig sitting in the dock answering for their involvement in the ultimate crime. That will be an easy open and close case and the culprits will be given their just dues in Naboro.
March 13, 2008 at 10:07 am
Watching the Qarase trial trial last nite drew some interesting conclusions.
1. that someone who porposes to have the might of the Military gins behind him is so much a coward that he cannot even face a cross examination from Nye Perram as was done to Qarase yesterday
2. the law is conveyed here by the defense is funny (at least to non legal minds like mine) - it is along the same theory that if I were robbed by a thief and take legal redress, I will not expect the defendant to be cross examined in court nor will I even have the comfort of seeing him in court. Meanwhile, I will be the one who has to be cross examined to determine if I have any grounds to lodge such a claim. The absence of Bainimarama, I-Arse and others to be cross examined shows their lack of faith in their own actions.
3. For a person of his status (which no doubt is very formidable), QC McCoy’s insistent questions to Qarase about the documents and transcripts of third parties conversing etc about what Qarase allegdly did is very UNUSUAL to say the least. I would have thought that he (McCoy) would have called the third parties (Downer & Clark) and cross examined them in court to find out the validityof the transcripts. To question a non participant about the conversations between two other persons reeks of a desparate defense team that has no iota of evidence and is trying to create one through the use of his long winded syllables.
4. Last but not least, I cannot understand the line of questioning used by the Defense as the whole session was to try and establish whether Qarase asked for assistance from Aust and NZ. What has that got to do with the initial crime of usurping a govt? That has got to be ascertained first. The picture they portray is of one that is trying to legitimise the takeover by saying that it was necessary to protect our soverignty from foreign intervention - rather like whipping the boy in advance for any mischief he may commit or is preceived that he will commit eh?
Thank you Qarase for not hiding.
March 13, 2008 at 11:12 am
Thank you Qarase, you are a true man & soldier, compare to those “lamusona” Vore, Hairyarse & Co. They are too scared to be called to witness ’cause their LIES will be shown on their faces & our dumb PM will have no idea what to say since all his speeches are prepared for him to read. Good on you LQ & your team, Perram & Fa you did well last nite on TV compared to McCoi & Co. I think some of the lawyers like Pathetic (Pathik) & McCoi should retire, they are now useless as they’ve gone past their user date.
March 13, 2008 at 12:18 pm
POTE….lol
March 13, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Something which came out of all these matters relating to Maiya Chodo’s tax affairs is there is a need for another institution to review the work of FIRCA. At the moment they do their own reviews and monitoring which resulted in the sacking of the Chief Auditor and other senior managers for trying to investigate a Minister.
The absence of an independent monitoring institution like the Auditor General or some other similar entity gave rise to the opportunity to abuse the tax processes without recourse through an independent review.
The law should be reviewed by the next elected Govt to have some outside body checking on how FIRCA discharges its functions. At the moment they carry out checks by themselves thus opening the organisation to abuse. It gives them the power also to sack staff like in the Maiya Chodo case who try and do their job honestly because FIRCA itself is the employer.
March 13, 2008 at 3:35 pm
ppl … the tax evasion by chodo is too small a fish to fry. lets accept what Chodo said and others like that arsehole town mayor of nasinu says is gospel….in that case: chodo and all the ppl claiming the $$ was for chodo personally … then chodo should charged with treason, espionage and shot dead. what do u clasify an elected member of parliament/former PM/leader of a political party having 2nd majority of votes in parliament/creating alot of hot air debates/unwilling to compromise and rec’ing large deposits of $$ into his overseas personal account from a foreign govt….a mole/ a spy.
like I said before: there was never a genuine move by FLP and Chodo to contribute constructively when SDL were reaching out to FLP to form a Multi Party Cabinet. all the fuss and court case …. FLP/Chodo were paid by Indian govt to destabilish the country politically/economically…so Fiji could turn to india for assistance … indian being a super power. [make sense now].
chodo & FLP must be charged for treason/espionage/shot dead….party de-registered. if this word goes out into the main media stream….lets see if chodo/FLP will still say the cash was for personal use.
March 13, 2008 at 3:41 pm
ppl … the tax evasion by chodo is too small a fish to fry. lets accept what Chodo said and others like that arsehole town mayor of nasinu says is gospel….in that case: chodo and all the ppl claiming the $$ was for chodo personally … then chodo/FLP and his followers should charged with treason, espionage and shot dead. what do u clasify an elected member of parliament/former PM/leader of a political party having 2nd majority of votes in parliament/creating alot of hot air debates/unwilling to compromise on important issues and at the same time rec’ing large deposits of $$ into his overseas personal account from a foreign govt….this is a MOLE/ SPY.
like I said before: there was never a genuine move by FLP and Chodo to contribute constructively in the Multi Party Cabinet…. this is evident when the SDL was reaching out to FLP to form a Multi Party Cabinet.
all the fuss, court case, etc …. its now clear as daylight the Chodo/FLP were paid by the Indian govt to de-stabilize the country politically/economically. indirectly, Fiji will turn to india for assistance … indian being a super power. [make sense now].
chodo & FLP must be charged for treason/espionage/shot dead….party de-registered. if this word goes out into the main media stream….lets see if chodo/FLP will still say the cash was for Chodo’s personal use.
March 13, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Bodyguard:
Dina..Ihave said it before, this guy should be charged of treason for soliciting support /receivibng money from a foreign power to overthrow an elected government in 2003…and also for being a co-conspirator in the overthrow of an lelected government in 2006, etc. He must be hanged in public.The FLP must be banned as a political party and all indians must be shipped to India or Uk where their masters reside.
March 13, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Aint a legal eagle 2, but at least am thankful to lawyers for illegal regime for telling me that vanuabalavu is 260km ne of Suva, has 29sq km in land area and a population approx of 4000!
And can anyone tell Ai-arse the non-existent AG that we are not interested about his arguments that SDL is the last party to call for Chodo’s resignation when their own ministers didn’t resign when charged in relation with the 2000 crisis. Isn’t it amazing? They came to power on the so called wave of change, of clean-up, yet now, sa tu na da! Oh we can do it, because you did it too kind of excuses. Hello! you were suppose or you claimed you would be different, sa qai cava tu qo?
And it was Qarase himself who said in the Holiday Inn public forum that at least his SDL ministers were man enough to take their “medicine.” Unlike those that ran to Joe Mirror on Dec 5 2006 and forged his signature for an amnesty!!! Cici jiko vi kemudou, dou yavu!!!!!
March 13, 2008 at 9:20 pm
was it the BIG SOLOI jo cabbage stuck on the loo?
Woman sat on toilet for ‘two years’
Thursday Mar 13 10:31 AEDT
AP - US authorities are considering charges in the case of a woman who sat on her boyfriend’s toilet for two years and was stuck to the seat when the boyfriend finally called police.
Sheriff Bryan Whipple, in Ness City, Texas, said it appeared the 35-year-old woman’s skin had grown around the seat.
She initially refused emergency medical services but was finally convinced by police, medical officers and her boyfriend that she needed to be checked out at a hospital.
“We pried the toilet seat off (the toilet) with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital,” Whipple said. “The hospital removed it.”
Whipple said investigators planned to present their report to the county attorney in Ness City, Texas, who will determine whether any charges should be filed against the woman’s 36-year-old boyfriend.
“She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body,” Whipple said.
“It is hard to imagine. … I still have a hard time imagining it myself.”
The boyfriend told investigators he brought his girlfriend food and water, and asked her every day to come out of the bathroom.
“And her reply would be, ‘Maybe tomorrow’,” Whipple said. “According to him, she did not want to leave the bathroom.”
The boyfriend called police on February 27 to report that “there was something wrong with his girlfriend”, Whipple said, adding that he never explained why it took him two years to call.
Police found the clothed woman sitting on the toilet, her sweat pants down to her mid-thigh. She was “somewhat disoriented,” and her legs looked like they had atrophied, Whipple said.
“She said that she didn’t need any help, that she was OK and did not want to leave,” he said.
She was reported to be in fair condition at a hospital in Wichita, about 240km south-east of Ness City.
Whipple said she refused to cooperate with medical providers or law enforcement investigators.
Authorities said they did not know if she was mentally or physically disabled.
Police declined to release the couple’s names, but the house where authorities say the incident happened is listed in public records as the residence of Kory McFarren. No one answered his home phone number.
The case has been the buzz of Ness City, said James Ellis, a neighbour.
“I don’t think anybody can make any sense out of it,” he said.
Ellis said he had known the woman since she was a child but that he had not seen her for at least six years.
He said she had a tough childhood after her mother died at a young age and apparently was usually kept inside the house as she grew up.
At one time the woman worked for a long-term care facility, he said, but he did not know what kind of work she did there.
“It really doesn’t surprise me,” Ellis said.
“What surprises me is somebody wasn’t called in a bit earlier.”
. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
No one wanted to alert the Fire Brigade or Ambulance because she’s a cranky old bag.
March 13, 2008 at 11:02 pm
No surprise that the illegals support each other. Jo cabbage today calling for their wish for abolition of communal seats to the FHRC Elections Inquiry, to be implemented.
Just a bit of extra history folks: Choro actually tabled that Income Tax Amendment Act in parliament as finance minister in his govt in early 2000 - then it lapsed and was reintroduced in 2002 by the SDL govt - the same bill that abolished the old Income Tax Act and updated that old law and put the various amendments together in one law. So as PM/Finance/Sugar Minister in the PC Govt, he would’ve read that law back to front right? And as an auditor in his former life, he should know his tax obligations right?
So his claim that he didnt know interest/investment income becomes part of his income DOESNT WASH!
In the meantime - does FLP have a code of conduct for its members? Does it apply only to problem FLP members like Bijay Prasad (former Nadi FLP President)? But then Jo Cabbage has been the FLP President the last 100 years so she rubberstamped choro’s fundraising “for the poor and suffering people of Fiji” and his spending that money on himself, hey, maybe she used some of it herself’???? so cannot expect her to ask him to come clean when they dirty together
March 14, 2008 at 3:07 am
To Mr Parvin Kumar-back in Vanua Levu there is a village called Vivili..well known for their hypper to say, when there is high tide,and they turn to do everthing in the opposite way…when the village church was build,the village elders had a meeting,for all the kids to be given with spanking before the windows of the church is placed…because they will break the glass..and spoiled the building..just same as what you mentioned ,I quote-rather like whipping the boy in advance for any mischief he may commit or is preceived that he will commit eh?
Sa qai lasa dina totoka vakaoti na mata ni meke sa meke taki tiko qo..gonei!!!!!