National Research Institute

Infrastructure tax credit scheme debated

This was the argument put forward by participants of a tax seminar organised by the National Research Institute.

The main point was that while the systems are there, governance on the part of the government is weak, especially when it comes to the management of funds.

The title of the seminar presentation was ‘Papua New Guinea’s extractive resource sector: Towards a policy of leaner tax incentives’.

Webster: PNG Government must continue Bougainville referendum work

This is according to Dr Thomas Webster from the National Research Institute.

Project manager of Bougainville Research in the Governance Program at NRI, Dr Thomas Webster says that as the new government is put in place, work on the Bougainville Referendum must continue.

 Dr Webster says there needs to be effective and ongoing dialogue between all stakeholders involved as the last meeting was held in April of 2016.

​Do not use education as a political gimmick

This is the message from the National Research Institute after releasing a report on the current state of education in Papua New Guinea.

NRI has noted that one of the key policies in most political parties’ platforms in the current 2017 National General Elections campaign is education.

However, are PNG’s candidates focusing on quality as well as quantity?

Let the people decide: PM O’Neill

Those were the remarks from Prime Minister Peter O’Neill when delivering his party policies at the National Research Institute today in Port Moresby.

O’Neill’s party, People’s National Congress (PNC) is the leading coalition partner in the Government.

O’Neill said every PNC candidate contesting in the elections will not force people to vote for them rather let the people make decisions on their own.

“We have delivered to the people and let them make decision as to whether they will mandate us again or not.

Juffa to promote party policy at NRI

The weekly open forum, organised by NRI for registered political parties to promote their policies, will end next week with two major parties in the coalition government, National Alliance and People’s National Congress, taking to stage.   

NRI director Dr Charles Yala earlier said the forum is organised to encourage political parties to develop constructive policies and give awareness to the voting population before the issue of Writs for the 2017 National Elections.     

“Our interest is to make an input into the policy debate during the national elections.

Tax exemption on basic goods: PNG Party

PNG Party General Secretary Kila Poka said average Papua New Guineans must be able to purchase good food to improve their living standard.    

He added that tax exemptions will be placed on imported building materials and appliances to make it easy for Papua New Guineans to build decent houses.

ODP aims to repeal Dual Citizenship Act

National Secretary, Habia Babe, revealed this during the second of a series of forums held by the National Research Institutes (NRI) for the discussion of  political parties and their policies for this years’ election.

Babe said the dual citizenship act would be repealed as one of its agendas under its safety and security policy.

However, he did not specify the security reasons but rather who it benefitted that warranted its repealing.

“Our issue is that dual citizenship does not benefit the indigenous people of this country. It is for the privileged few.

Pangu Party to promote policy at forum

NRI director Dr Charles Yala said the forum is organised to encourage political parties to develop constructive policies and give awareness to the voting population.    

“Our interest is to make an input into the policy debate during the national elections.

“PNG NRI’s contribution to election 2017 is to provide a forum for political parties to market their policies in a non-threatening and friendly environment,” Dr Yala said. 

The political parties forum will be run twice a week throughout the month of March.

Political parties’ forum to be hosted

The issue of Writs for the 2017 National Elections will be issued on April 20.

The forum will be held twice a week this month, and will be open to the general public.

An official announcement will be made by the country’s think tank today.

A total of 19 political parties have representation in the current Parliament, and with the elections less than 2 months away, many deregistered and new parties have registered with the Political Parties and Candidates Commission.

Risky to borrow too much: NRI

Because of the high growth rate previously, and with the commencement of the LNG project in 2014, expectations were high, leading to a number of hasty borrowing decisions by the Government.

National Research InstituteI’s Senior Research Fellow and Economic Policy program leader, Dr Francis Odhuno, said borrowing itself was not bad, as long as you know you’re going to repay your loan on time and the investments you make on the borrowed money, yield high returns. However, with unforseen shortages comes the temptation to borrow more.