Although the conference floor was really busy, I’ve managed to sit down with the head of Fiji Revenue and Service Mr Udit Singh. And, I was glad I did. The conversation carried the weight of experience and authority. Fiji has faced the challenge of modernizing VAT collection while keeping businesses engaged, a task that many Pacific nations are confronting right now. And yes, this discussion served another occasion as well. As we look forward to the upcoming PITAA Annual Heads Meeting 2025 in Tonga, Mr Singh will join a panel that I am given an opportunity to lead on Real-Time Transaction Monitoring. Thus, this interview acts as a prologue to the mentioned event.  

5 Key Takeaways

1. Real-Time Digital Monitoring Boosts Compliance: Fiji’s VAT Monitoring System (VMS) tracks every transaction, reducing underreporting and ensuring transparency at the point of sale, strengthening revenue collection without raising tax rates.
2. Stakeholder Engagement is Critical: Early and ongoing communication with businesses, training, and consultation build trust and foster voluntary compliance, turning a top-down rollout into a collaborative process.
3. Capacity Building Ensures Success: Practical guidance and hands-on support for both tax officials and business owners are essential; technology alone cannot achieve effective compliance.
4. Transparency and Fairness Drive Participation: By making VAT reporting visible and consistent, the system encourages voluntary compliance and positions businesses as partners in public service rather than subjects of regulation.
5. Political and Legal Support is Vital: Sustained government commitment ensures that technical challenges, misinformation, or stakeholder pushback do not derail implementation, providing a stable environment for cultural and systemic change in tax compliance.

Pacific VAT Compliance: Fiji’s Shift to Digital Monitoring 

For years, Fiji relied on businesses to self-report VAT. On paper, the system appeared straightforward. In reality, many transactions slipped through. Cash payments went unrecorded, and compliance depended on voluntary accuracy. The result was revenue loss and an incomplete view of the economy. This is exactly why the country went down the road of digital monitoring.  

“The biggest improvement has been a clear rise in VAT compliance,” Udit explained. “We also see more voluntary declarations and better alignment between sales data and tax returns. VAT monitoring system (VMS) reduced underreporting and gave us transparency at the point of sale, which strengthened revenue collection without increasing tax rates.” 

The system works because it tracks every transaction in real time. Each e-invoice becomes an official record. The government can monitor revenue as it happens, and businesses have clarity on what they owe. 

Building Trust During Implementation 

Rolling out the VMS powered by TaxCore in Fiji was far from straightforward. Many businesses initially resisted, uncertain about what the system would mean for them. Some worried it might expose errors or invite penalties, while others struggled with technical limitations. Misinformation also spread, with rumors suggesting the system was designed to monitor private business activity rather than improve compliance. 

To address these challenges, FRCS engaged directly with stakeholders. Officials visited offices, shops, and market stalls to explain the system in clear, practical terms. They organized training sessions, both in-person and online, giving staff and business owners the confidence to use the new technology. Consultation forums allowed businesses to raise questions and provide feedback, turning what could have been a top-down rollout into a collaborative process. A dedicated support team was also established, ready to troubleshoot issues and guide users whenever problems arose. 

Mr. Singh highlighted that building trust was as important as installing the system itself. “We wanted businesses to see the system as a partner, not a threat,” he said, emphasizing fairness and transparency over surveillance. By showing that the system aimed to create a level playing field rather than punish anyone, authorities encouraged voluntary compliance and cooperation. 

The focus on human engagement proved essential. Technology alone could not have succeeded without consistent communication, reassurance, and hands-on guidance. Through patient explanation, practical support, and open dialogue, the rollout gained acceptance, laying the foundation for a system that strengthened compliance, fostered trust, and gave both government and businesses clarity about their responsibilities. 

Pacific VAT Compliance: Experiences for Papua New Guinea 

Fiji’s experience provides worthy lessons for Papua New Guinea as it moves on a similar path. Mr. Singh emphasized three key takeaways. First, stakeholder engagement must begin early. Businesses are far more receptive when they are part of the conversation from the outset. Understanding the purpose of the system, its benefits, and how it affects daily operations reduces resistance and builds cooperation. 

Second, capacity building is necessary. Both tax officials and business owners need training to use the system effectively. Without practical guidance and hands-on support, even the most advanced technology can fail to deliver. Fiji’s rollout included workshops, training sessions, and ongoing support, ensuring users gained confidence and clarity in every step. 

Third, strong political and legal backing is vital. Projects of this scale inevitably encounter challenges, technical hiccups, misunderstandings, or temporary pushback from stakeholders. Governments must remain committed so that these obstacles do not derail progress. “When issues arise, politicians must know there is a plan and a goal,” Mr. Singh explained. “The tax authority clears obstacles and makes the process straightforward for everyone involved.” 

Taken together, these lessons show that successful implementation depends on more than technology. Early communication, practical training, and sustained political support create an environment where compliance is achievable, understandable, and accepted. For Papua New Guinea, these insights offer a roadmap to build a system that strengthens revenue collection while maintaining trust and collaboration between government and businesses. And far beyond, as the better VAT compliance in Pacific becomes easier to achieve. 

Digital Transparency and Fairness 

The VMS powered by TaxCore does more than simply record transactions. It creates a level of digital transparency that allows the government to see economic activity in real time. Mr Singh emphisized that the system can quickly identify taxpayers who were previously unregistered or reporting inaccurately. By bringing these activities into view, the system encourages voluntary compliance, making it clear that everyone is treated equally. 

“All taxpayers see that the system is fair,” he said. “Those who pay taxes know the authority is acting with integrity. Compliance improves because people understand the rules and see them applied evenly.” 

This transparency extends beyond numbers on a screen. It strengthens trust between the government, businesses, and citizens. When people perceive that the rules are applied consistently and fairly, they engage with the system willingly. Businesses are not merely monitored, they become active participants in public service. Compliance shifts from being a requirement imposed from above to a shared responsibility recognized by all. 

Through the combination of real-time data with visible fairness, VMS fosters a culture where paying taxes is understood as part of contributing to the community. It is a system that clarifies obligations, reduces uncertainty, and builds confidence in the institutions responsible for managing the country’s resources. 

Pacific VAT Compliance: A Cultural Shift Toward Compliance 

The impact of the VAT Monitoring System reaches far beyond numbers and data. Businesses now comply because the system makes evasion difficult, visible, and inconsistent with community expectations. Compliance emerges naturally when rules are applied fairly and consistently. 

“The effect is quiet but powerful,” Udit Singh said. “The system supports itself because people see it working, and they follow the rules willingly. It aligns responsibility with action.” He added that the visible fairness of the system changes how businesses approach their obligations. “When everyone knows the rules are applied evenly, it removes doubt. People feel that paying taxes is simply part of how business should be done.” 

Mr. Singh stressed that the system does more than enforce rules; it builds understanding. “Businesses start to see themselves as partners in public service rather than just subjects of regulation,” he said. “When compliance is visible, predictable, and fair, it encourages voluntary participation, which is far more sustainable than forcing adherence through penalties.” 

Eyes on Tonga and the Pacific 

The upcoming PITAA Annual Heads Meeting in Tonga presents an opportunity to share these lessons across the region. Pacific nations face similar challenges: dispersed populations, informal economies, and limited technical capacity. Fiji’s experience shows that clear communication, careful planning, and political support are crucial to success. 

Mr Singh’s insights provide a practical guide. Real-time transaction monitoring is no longer theoretical, but a proven method for making tax collection fairer and more reliable. Countries in the Pacific can use these lessons to implement systems that work for their people, their businesses, and their governments. 

“Thank you for trusting Data Tech International and working with us,” I told Mr Singh as our conversation ended. He smiled, acknowledging the effort yet confident about the path ahead. 

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The Vision and the Path Forward

The Vanuatu Sales Monitoring System (VSMS), driven by TaxCore®, embodies a visionary leap forward towards tax compliance. It leverages secure, encrypted invoices transmitted automatically from accredited Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs) to DCIR. This infrastructure facilitates real-time synchronization, monitoring, and auditing, significantly boosting transparency and tax compliance.

Strategic Recommendations

Drawing on our global expertise, we’ve proposed targeted recommendations to secure the project’s success:

• Legislative Preparations: Finalizing regulations and ensuring they harmonize with existing legal frameworks.
• Data Quality Initiatives: Launching a taxpayer registry cleanup campaign.
• Risk-based Implementation: Prioritizing implementation in high-revenue areas.
• Compliance Task Force: Establishing a dedicated compliance and audit team within DCIR.
• Public Awareness Campaign: Rolling out a comprehensive, multilingual communication strategy.
• Support for POS Upgrades: Offering technical support for businesses to upgrade their point-of-sale infrastructure.
• Enhanced Regional Support: Establishing regional enrollment centers.
• Accessible Web and Mobile Solutions: Providing free invoicing solutions optimized for local infrastructure.
• Customer Compliance Incentives: Introducing the Customer Compliance Award to encourage consumer participation.

Hon. Johhny Koanapo Rasou, Vanuatu’s Minister of Finance and Goran Todorov, DTI’s CEO

Infrastructure and Legislative Preparedness

The successful implementation depends heavily on digital infrastructure readiness and clear legislative support. With digital signatures and secure recordkeeping backed by TaxCore®, VSMS will meet stringent standards outlined in Vanuatu’s Electronic Transactions Act and Tax Administration Act, enhancing enforceability and compliance.

Taxpayer Compliance and Behavioral Change

Observations from previous monitoring exercises indicate taxpayers respond positively to active oversight. VSMS provides proactive, continuous verification, significantly improving detection and reduction of tax evasion and fraudulent activities.

Final Thoughts

Our project with DCIR involves capacity building and implementing VSMS, powered by TaxCore®. By fostering transparency, securing revenues, and enabling fair market competition, this system positions Vanuatu’s tax administration among the most progressive globally.

We at DTI are committed to this transformative journey, confident in VSMS’s ability to create lasting benefits for the government, businesses, and citizens of Vanuatu for years to come.

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Data Tech International est heureux d’avoir parrainé et participé à la conférence des étudiants de l’ESTIEM – LXIV Council Meeting. Elle s’est tenue du 2 au 9 mai à Belgrade, en Serbie.

ESTIEM, ou les étudiants européens en génie industriel et en gestion, est une organisation à but non lucratif pour les étudiants en génie industriel et en gestion qui combine la compréhension technologique avec des compétences en gestion. Créée en 1990, son objectif est de favoriser les relations entre les étudiants de l’IEM et d’accompagner leur développement.

Cérémonie d’ouverture

La mise en réseau

Atelier – Sortir des sentiers battus : de la première idée à la solution globale

Pour l’atelier, DTI a choisi le sujet en accord avec l’esprit de la vision et des réalisations de l’entreprise. Sortir des sentiers battus : de la première idée à la solution globale.

L’atelier a duré 2 heures et a donné aux participants l’occasion de discuter de l’importance de la diversité, de la sensibilisation culturelle et de la façon de penser lors du développement d’un produit pour le marché mondial.

Au cours de l’atelier, les étudiants ont résolu une mini étude de cas conçue par DTI. À cette fin, les participants ont été répartis en petits groupes de discussion. Après quoi, chaque équipe a présenté sa solution.

Forêt d’ESTIEM

L’événement RSE se démarque comme une partie vraiment spéciale du projet d’ESTIEM. Souhaitant ajouter une dimension écologique à la Réunion du Conseil, l’équipe d’organisation a eu l’idée de réaliser un projet de plantation d’une forêt ESTIEM entière.

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Data Tech International is pleased to have sponsored and participated in the ESTIEM’s student conference – LXIV Council Meeting, which took place on 2nd – 9th of May in Belgrade, Serbia.

ESTIEM, or the European Students of Industrial Engineering and Management, is a non-profit organization for Industrial Engineering and Management students that combines technological understanding with management skills. Founded in 1990, its goal is to foster relations between IEM students and support their development.

In early May, hundreds of ESTIEM-ers from 26 different countries came to Belgrade for their annual council meeting.

Opening ceremony

An open-air ceremony welcomed all the students at the event and exposed them to beautiful elements of Serbian culture. Members of DTI staff joined in the warm greeting and invited the participants to join them in all the meeting events. The entire ceremony was covered by the media.

Networking Brunch

The Networking Brunch is an informal gathering that took place on May 5th. Participants were free to ask DTI about anything about the company and the way DTI does business. Many students were interested in internship opportunities. DTI also prepared a lot of surprises and gifts for the participating students.

Workshop – Thinking outside of the box: from the first idea to the global solution

For the workshop, DTI selected the topic in line with the spirit of our company vision and achievements: Thinking outside of the box: from the first idea to the global solution.

The workshop lasted for 2 hours, and it gave the participants an opportunity to discuss the importance of diversity, cultural awareness, and design thinking when developing a product for the global market.

During the workshop, the students were solving a mini case study devised by DTI. To that end, the participants were divided into smaller groups for discussion, after which each team presented its solution.

In parallel, we also used an online tool to collect as many different inputs as possible from participants on the topic.

ESTIEM Forest

The CSR event stands out as a really special part of ESTIEM’s project. Wishing to add an ecological dimension to the Council Meeting, the organization team came up with the idea to realize a project of planting an entire ESTIEM forrest.

ESTIEM has plans for various other environmental initiatives that DTI, as an exclusive partner, will certainly be involved in.

In conclusion, the experience overall was a very positive one, as the main objective that was proposed before the Council Meeting started was dully achieved: to bring the subject of fiscalization to the attention of the young generation, to raise their awareness of the fight against the gray economy so that they can promote its use in their home countries.

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Everything is ready for the official kick off as Data Tech International, along with consortium partners, deployed TaxCore into production on a brand new equipment that will host eFiscalization expecting to receive, validate and store about 15.000.000 transactions on a daily basis.

The list of accredited POS and ESDC solutions has been growing continuously to satisfy demands of all taxpayers who have to transition to the new system by April 30th 2022, thus beginning the fiscalization journey in Serbia.

In a record-breaking implementation period of just five months since the contract signing, we managed to accomplish all expected deliverables and we will continue to support Serbian Tax Administration for continuous operations until the end of 2022.

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Relationship based on trust and absolute transparency needs to exist between a taxman and a taxpayer. Not only is this the best tool in the fight against the grey economy, but it can also significantly increase a country’s tax revenue. Most importantly, it establishes an atmosphere where the same rules apply for every single taxpayer. This way, there is no unfair competition, which brings about a very healthy business environment.

DTI ensured that all of the three sides are equally satisfied; a local tax authority, taxpayers, and an every-day customer. All of the three present important factors in establishing a stable fiscal and tax collecting system. So once we ensured that a local tax authority got a secure fiscalisation system through which it can monitor taxpayers efficiently, how did we make sure that taxpayers get the exact same treatment?

TAP (Taxpayer Administration Portal)

The idea of TaxCore® is to not be disruptive to business, instead, its purpose is to further improve fiscalisation by improving the tax collecting system. It adds value to those who don’t have sophisticated ways of recording sales, yet it doesn’t disturb accounting.

Authorities usually opt to perform taxpayer enrollment process gradually – by putting taxpayers into groups, segmenting per size, business activity, geo location, etc., however we’ve seen a lot of taxpayers request enrollment voluntary. Why is that?

Once enrolled, a taxpayer gains access to the Taxpayer Administration Portal (TAP). It is a secure space through which taxpayers have insight into their business from the taxman’s point of view.

Taxpayers can use the TAP for issuing invoices, which eliminates the mandatory need for an Electronic Fiscal Device. Naturally, this goes for business owners to whom conventional ECR/POS or ERP isn’t necessary for registering transactions (very useful to real-estate, renting, accounting, law practice and similar business activities).

Taxpayer Administration Portal (TAP) is very user friendly too. Everything is extremely simple to use so an average taxpayer wouldn’t have to spend too much time on the portal itself.

What happens if I have multiple sales points?

TAP can also be of a great help to business owners with multiple sales points. Given that a Tax Authority requires (in countries where real-time transaction reporting is mandatory) constant connection, having an downtime can present an issue. TaxCore® provides a Tax Authority with 24/7 fiscalisation monitoring over its entire territory. If it happens that a certain business stops sending information to the server for a certain period of time, this can present a red flag for the enforcement. But, in such case, a taxpayer can simply log in to TAP, check if any location fails to upload, and perform corrective action to prevent undesirable visit. The tax authority will receive all transactions issued in the meantime, and both sides can continue functioning meticulously.

Thanks to the prerequisite of assigning digital identity to each taxpayer, which is part of the TaxCore® enrollment process, TAP offers various actions taxpayers can use to avoid filling out new forms, going to the local tax office for administration or receive visits by tax officers for no reason. One of such actions, we are extremely proud of, is the remote request for additional digital certificates or revocation of the ones who are no longer needed.

TaxCore® Thought of Consumers Too

Since both Tax Authority and taxpayers have proper systems to operate by, where does this leave consumers? Since this group is also a key factor in establishing a healthy economy, it is the duty of everyone to make sure we guarantee its rights.

That is why we developed the Customer Compliance Award Program. Each receipt issued with TaxCore® comes with a QR code a customer can scan. By scanning the receipt, they gain access to its electronic version. Thanks to this, a receipt can also be reported if a customer suspects something doesn’t seem right.

By reporting a receipt, a customer successfully becomes a part of a lottery which rewards them for their help to a Tax Authority. The rewards can vary for something small, such as a dinner for two, to something big, such as a car.

Thanks to this arrangement, TaxCore®, along with a local tax authority, provides fertile ground for a healthy system in which every group presents an important factor. And since every group is so crucial, we made sure to use technology into their favour. TaxCore® is your strongest ally in the fight against tax fraud and the grey economy and in your path towards fiscalisation.

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