The high level of fees charged by banks on remittances to Pacfic island countries has come under fire once more from the Pacific Island Forum.
A report from the forum shows that fees cost an average $21.70 of every $100 remitted, which is "significantly higher than global averages".
The Australian reported on the forum's study of bank fees today.
In 2008 islanders working in Australia, New Zealand and the US sent $470 million to relatives living at home.
These payments equal, on average,12 per cent of GDP across the Pacific nations in the forum study. They equal 36 per cent of the GDP of Tonga, 26 per cent of Samoa's GDP and 19 per cent of Tuvalu's.
It is 30 per cent cheaper to send remittances from New Zealand than it is from Australia, thanks in part to more vigorous competition for this business from the banking sector in New Zealand.