IRC plans to improve services

 By GYNNIE KERO

THE Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) will pursue its plans to improve services to taxpayers this year, Commissioner General Betty Palaso (pictured) said.

She said yesterday more changes would be undertaken this year to speed up the delivery of services.

Last July, the tax office introduced a new computer system that allowed electronic tax payments.

“There is a lot happening in the IRC this year and we are building on the significant changes that we implemented in the IRC in 2013.”

 “The changes we are introducing will allow us to focus more resources on areas of the economy that we have not been able to address in the past. 

“They will allow us to not only ensure that businesses that are already paying taxes continue to be compliant but to actively and strongly pursue businesses that have chosen to try and stay ‘under the radar’.

“We also recognise that at times, our service delivery has not been up to the standard we would like. 

Palaso said IRC would be making a big effort to address the issue this year.

“For many taxpayers, the need to wait in line to pay tax at the local IRC office should now be a thing of the past and taxpayers will have increased confidence that their payment has gone straight to the IRC,” she said. 

IRC is working on the ability to make tax payments using Eftpos and credit and debit cards and hope to offer this facility soon.

Palaso said: “The IRC has been growing and changing dramatically throughout 2013 and this pace of change continues in 2014.  

“With our mandate to significantly increase government collections in 2014, the need for us to modernise and revitalise our work has been made clear and the executive of the IRC has responded with an exciting and challenging change programme. 

“A key part of this change is our new computer system, which many will know as ‘RAS2/SIGTAS’, which will dramatically cut down processing times internally, and will make complying with the tax laws of PNG simpler, easier and more equitable for businesses and individuals alike. 

“As well as the new computer system and other technological advancements, the IRC’s overall transformation also includes introducing new processes, recruiting and training more staff, and improving the working conditions for our staff”. 

She said the country would see an extra push by IRC this year to get taxpayers to register and to ensure they lodged their returns and stationery, make payments on time, and that they report the correct amounts to the IRC.