Marape urges revenue commission to lift game

PRIME Minister James Marape has told the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) to improve its operations this year to lift the country’s compliance statistics to above 50 per cent.
During the launching of the IRC’s 2020 work plan yesterday, Marape said the current statistics ranged between nine and 11 percent, which was poor.
Marape challenged the IRC to improve its performance as the nation’s tax collector by making proper assessments.
“Our enquiry with those that are supposed to pay tax and their compliance, zero contribution or otherwise irrespective, the fact that we made assessment must be above, if not 100 per cent, or thereabout,” he said.
“Our nation is facing huge challenges and we have a lot of rogue operators in our economy.
“Many times, the inefficiency of our system, those that want to cheat and rob us, can use the ineffectiveness of our system to get away with cheating and tax evasion.
“This sort of environment we have created over time has given fertile ground for many to operate in our economy who know that we are not effective in IRC policing.”