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Government tool for tax evasion

12/09/2016 20:28
A Government Data Warehouse described as a “powerful tool” in combating tax fraud, social contributions evasion and corruption, was presented on Monday, at a workshop of the Department of Information Technology Services.

The Warehouse provides data from different departments and services of the public sector which can make use of the data to make decisions, draw conclusions and form policies particularly on issues relating to combating tax evasion.

Addressing the workshop, the Minister of Finance Harris Georgiades spoke of “an important, strategic horizontal project, of great importance for the Government but mainly for the citizen”.

The Minister noted that the data stored in the Warehouse can be used for better and more reliable decision-making in a number of policy issues, such as human resource management and shaping social policy, based on valid data available for inspection and verification at any time.

The Warehouse, he stressed, “is a powerful tool that will help in combating tax fraud, social contributions evasion and corruption”.

The Minister said that a programme to expand the Government Data Warehouse is being prepared, whereas in the future it could be enriched with information from other public organisations and the banks, to enhance its effectiveness and broaden the scope of its use.

“The government has adopted a strategy for e-governance that focuses on the creation of a modern and more efficient public service that provides high-quality services at a lower cost, without red tape, making the most of the new technologies” Georgiades stressed.

He noted that e-governance is an important and integral pillar of the public service reform.