Changing of IDs puts Customs Services on higher alert

THE PNG Customs Services plans to introduce a national identification system to monitor companies and people who import goods to stop them from changing their identities every now and then.
It is in line with its modernisation programme with Asycuda world systems to ensure businesses are conducted in an honest manner.
Commissioner Ray Paul said some importers “change face and name every time they import”.
“Anyone that is importing or a first-time importer that continues to import needs to have an NID as part of their accompanying document, apart from the TIN that will enable PNGCS to identify who is importing.”
Paul was addressing the business community in Lae during a business consultative forum this week.
“PNGCS faces big challenge with the physical addresses because one person gets to import more than 10 times in a year using his name, then soon changes to using different family or relative’s names and all the pets in the house,” Paul said.
Paul said they, through Apec, have an opportunity to work on one single window system to assess the current situation on how best they can progress into future business endeavours. He said Government agencies working at the borders such as Trade and Commerce, National Agriculture and Quarantine, Immigration and PNG Ports were keen to use the system.