Lae city Authority

REPORTS that Lae City Authority owes some K2.4 million in outstanding payments for the rubbish collections by contractor, raises some questions.
Is it collecting its land and garbage rates at all, being its main revenue earner? One may question where this revenue collections has gone to?
Has this revenue been collected at all by the LCA over the years gone by?
LCA is entitled to collect land taxes or rates for various leases within the city covering residential, commercial and light industrial properties.
The same applies for garbage rates from these leasehold properties as well.
LCA owns a number of undeveloped properties within the Old Lae Airport land.
It is believed to be sub-leasing them to a private company, mainly for use as container storage.
The Lae Market is also one area where the LCA is collecting daily market gate fees as revenue.
This has been ongoing for a number of years now.
I’m not sure whether these had been properly accounted for on a daily basis?
Weighing the above-mentioned, one would wonder why the LCA would be in arrears in revenue collection year-in year-out and not being able to pay for such outstanding payments?
Why hasn’t the LCA management been able to utilise its collected revenues to help itself manage its daily affairs?
These include outstanding payments for services rendered and general upkeep of city grounds and environment?
The general cleanliness of the city leaves a lot to be desired.
Where is the once fully-resourced ground staff or brigade that once upon a time kept the city and its environment fairly clean?
There is rubbish everywhere within the city.
The public at large doesn’t seem to care anymore, nor does the LCA top management, or so it seems.

Concerned Citizen