administrative problems.

For years the $45 permit has simply not been collected -- depriving the country of thousands of dollars in revenue.

Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb revealed the shortfall as she announced that she was to ensure that all unpaid permits would now be met in full.

She said the fee -- payable every three years -- had not been collected by the former UBP Government, meaning hundreds of users were talking for free.

The Minister told the House of Assembly on Friday that she herself had owned a mobile phone for nine years but had never received a bill.

"I never had a bill in nine years, I didn't know that the licence fee existed. It was never collected and there is the opportunity for lost revenue,'' she said.

"A responsible Government must ensure that these taxes are collected. There is a licensing fee and people can expect to pay it.'' But Telecommunications Inspector Ted Pitman said the problem lay with the system and the small offices the department had until recently.

He said previously people were caught when they changed their phone but it was conceivable that many had not paid because they had not renewed their equipment.

In addition, no reminders or renewal notices were sent out.

But he said a new system would ensure all phone users received a bill and those who didn't renew would be switched off by their supplier within 30 days.

There were up to 18,000 phones registered on the system but there were only 10,000 phones actually in use -- meaning thousands of unused accounts had to be sifted through and many removed.

A full-time member of staff was collecting unpaid fees but a backlog of work meant some permits were still not gathered, he said.

Ms Webb told the House that there were examples of sloppy management and inefficiency in the Civil Service.

TAXES TAX