Govt ‘red tape’ poses challenge

Business

By DALE LUMA
GOVERNMENT bureaucracy is one of the main challenges faced by businesses in Milne Bay, Milne Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice-president Tasman Silcock says.
Silcock said businesses had to meet a lot of requirements to apply to get approvals for trading licences and other approvals. He said businesses also had to wait a long time for approvals and many would give up and do other activities or invest elsewhere.
“Government bureaucracy is the main challenge,” Silcock told The National.
“There are a lot of government requirements for businesses to provide documentation to get approvals. Approvals such as trading licences and economic facilitation approvals (take too long to acquire) and the process is too long winded and drawn out.
“Many people give up when it takes 12 months to get an approval.
“There needs to be a fast track through government bureaucracy.”
Silcock also previously told The National that businesses in Alotau were expecting financial and community growth this year.
“Businesses are looking to expand,” he said.
“There is a lot of new buildings from business houses in Alotau.
“There is a lot of land development that has been happening so we are looking forward to a bigger growth in Alotau this year.
“From the business community, its business as usual and we are trying to get on with our lives as much as possible.”
Businesses and residents of Alotau have been rocked by criminal activities in recent times and just last year, more than 15 shops were broken into and looted during an attack on police personnel and the barracks.