IRC plan according to national revenue strategy, says Palaso

A FIVE-year corporate plan for the Internal Revenue Commission was launched by Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel in Port Moresby yesterday.
Abel told about 200 IRC employees present that the plan was vital for national development through enhanced revenue collection and they were at the forefront of that.
“We want to elevate the revenue-raising imperative,” he said.
Abel said for far too long, Government had been concerned about expenditure, but not revenue.
“That is something we are pushing very hard for at the Department of Treasury,” he said.
“It obviously cascades down into you people who are the ones on the ground level implementing this.
“All plans are important and they must, of course, integrate up to the high-level plans.
“The launch today is much-needed and I look forward to enhanced tax collection to allow us in Government to be able to carry out priorities to help our country grow.”
Abel emphasised the need for IRC to effectively collaborate with relevant Government agencies such as PNG Customs, as noted in the plan.
Palaso told The National the plan drew from overarching Government plans with the main aim of increasing revenue to gross domestic product figures over the next five years.
“Our corporate plan is basically replicating what is in the medium-term revenue strategy, which is meant to drive revenue generation in the next five years,” she said.
“This will also be reflected in our annual plans so it is all linked.
“The main purpose is to mobilise revenue and bring it up to represent 14 per cent of gross domestic product by the end of 2022.”