IPA conducts inspections in ENB

THE Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) conducted a four-week inspection on database and spot inspection on businesses in East New Britain (ENB).
Henry Bae, in charge of the IPA’s investor, service and promotion division, said they had sent out survey forms three weeks before the inspection.
The survey form is to collect data from business houses in ENB to capture investment trends, what activities they were involved in and the return they make, plus the tax they pay the province.
During the inspection, they found out that most businesses were operating under their main trade name. Most business activities or operations were not registered with the IPA.
“As much as possible, we want investments, job creation for our people in ENB.
“At the same time businesses must comply with the law.
“Therefore we make sure things are run straight and according to the law,” Bae said.
“We told the business houses that we are not here to scare them but to make them aware of what they must do.
“So while doing the spot inspection, we are also doing awareness for them,” Bae said.
He said some big companies in the province would be taken to court for “serious offences”.
He did not mention their names.
Bae urged business houses in ENB to register their trading name with the IPA.
Bae said they had penalised shops in Kokopo, Rabaul and Kerevat for not registering their trading name with IPA as a business name.
“These shops are running business activities without registering their businesses, they have already breached the law,” he said.