Minister of finance and treasury Rick Hou yesterday receives a cheque of $7.6million from Bemobile in outstanding goods tax paid directly to Inland Revenue Division (IRD).
The brief ceremony was held at National Parliament yesterday.
Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo was supposed to receive the payment but was too busy with the parliament meeting and could not receive it.
Niall Downey Bemobile’s chief executive officer (CEO) when presenting the payment said Bemobile agreed to make payment schedules with IRD in early 2014 but now felt its good time to bring the these payments forward.
“This would also help SI government with the recent devastation due to cyclone Ita,” Mr Downey said.
“Bemobile had worked closely with the tax department in the Solomon Island since 2013 to ensure we clear off out their outstanding tax bills and become corporate citizen and valuable contributor to the Solomon Islands economy.”
Mr Downey said the company hopes to clear off all its tax dues by June this year.
“Bemobile would like to thank the patience of the government and tax department who have demonstrated a rational and workable solution to this debt,” he said.
In response minister Hou thanked Bemobile for settling its outstanding dues with IRD.
“On half of the government through the ministry of finance I would like to thank Bemobile for this payment that would help our government as well as flood victims in Honiara,” he said.
Bemobile is the country’s second mobile provider in the country
By DENVER NEWTER
