Spot checks bag nearly K1mil in penalties, fines

The National National
Danny Warea from Immigration and Citizenship Authority speaking to foreign shop owners in Madang during a joint task force routine spot check recently.

By REBECCA KUKU
MORE than K800,000 was collected in fines and infringements during a joint task force operation under the Immigration and Citizenship Authority’s (ICA) routine spot checks in Madang last month, an official says.
Chief Migration Officer Stanis Hulahau said during the six-day operation, a total of K390,000 was collected in fines and deposited into ICA account while labour infringement notices issued to companies amounted to K450,000, a total of K840,000 for the various breaches.
“Last month, a joint task force team comprising ICA, Labour and police with composite units from the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption (NFAC), criminal investigation division from police headquarters, Boroko, and Central, internal investigation unit, NFACD, NCD Metropolitan travelled to Madang to conduct routine spot checks,” he said.
“In Madang, the team went as far as Bogia, Sumkar, Usino-Bundi and Middle Ramu and the next day continued further into Raicoast.
“The team inspected all foreign-owned shops, logging camps and the two major Chinese operated projects located in the mountains of Kurumbukari and Basumuk refinery at Raicoast.
“Apart from the fines, a New Zealand naturalised citizen formerly of Chinese origin identified as Liu Nanzheng, who came into the country on a tourist visa and overstayed his visa for two years and was illegally living in Madang and was involved in selling and distribution of counterfeit cigarettes, was apprehended by the team based on intelligence information.
“He is currently detained at BIC-Bomana as investigation is on-going and subsequently will be deported.”
Hulahau issued a warning to all foreign-owned companies to comply with immigration and labour laws if they wished to do business in PNG.
“There were four companies with a total of nine staff operating in the same logging site,” he said.
“The foreign companies are now subject to further investigation.”
Hulahau said during the inspection, the team found that a lot of foreign-owned shops in Madang, Bogia, Usino and Ramu were not compliant with their designated positions shown on their work.