Authority calls for applications

By DALE LUMA
THE Lae City Authority (LCA) has urged business houses in the Morobe capital to submit their applications for trading licences by June 30.
The authority said failure to do so would result in penalties including fines and/or closure of their operations.
LCA chief executive officer Neil Ellery told The National that 99 applications had been received so far with around a 1,000 more still expected.
Ellery said the duration of a trading licence would be to the end of the year.
He said the LCA was committed to using technology to speed up processing and for the convenience to business houses in Lae.
“Rather than waiting in queues and manually filling out forms, business houses can now do all applications from their office or anywhere as long as they have internet access,” he said.
“Once applications were received via the internet, they are assessed by our compliance team within 21 days, and processed in the LCA office.
“A health inspector will be allocated a work order for site inspections of the businesses and organisations.
“Upon recommendations and any compliance issues the business is made aware of and must rectify and if there are no health or occupational site issues, the application proceeds to a committee for approval.”
Ellery said once applications were approved payment would be tendered through a direct bank deposit or online banking and a trading licence would be issued.
“LCA is committed to transparency and robust systems in the fight against the corrupt systems that allowed bribery,” he said.