The Samoa Government says it has collected a record $2.5billion tālā in taxes over the last five years.
Samoa Observer reports the caretaker Minister for Customs and Revenue, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, said the bulk of collected revenue was in taxes owed to government in the past.
‘’The bulk of these funds were collection of taxes owed to the Government over the years and according to records this is the first time the Government has collected such a significant amount of taxes,” he said.
According to the minister for the Financial Year 2015–2016 a total of $483 million was projected, however collection by the M.C.R. that year amounted to $485.1 million with an increase of $2.1 million.
He said the impact of the measles epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic have been noticeable but there have been some notable increases.
