IRC

When IRC Commissioner General, Sam Koim, took office in 2019, his team started exploring options of reducing the cost of tax administration by adopting effective collection measures, plugging leakages and improving compliance.

He outlined that IRC shares the cry of PNG’s working class concerning the high rates of taxes imposed on their salary and wages. However, they have to offer the government an alternative to offset the foregone revenue, that is why IRC aims to make GST the number one revenue earner for the government.

From 2023 to 2027, this new strategy aims to replace the previous GESI strategy developed in 2016.

The IRC states that as an organization, diversity and inclusion are deeply ingrained in their values, culture, and processes, serving as vital components of our continuous growth and success.

IRC Commissioner Koim, in the strategy, stated that it demonstrates the IRC’s commitment to focusing on inclusion and creating a positive work environment where their diversity is celebrated.

This follows the announcement of a Deed of Settlement earlier this week, signed by IRC Commissioner General, Sam Koim, and Barrick Chief Operations Officer Latin America and Asia Pacific, Mark Hill.   
 
The Chamber President, Anthony Smaré said this development brings the imminent reopening of Porgera one step closer to fruition. 
 

Commissioner Koim said, “When I took office two and a half years ago we had challenges at IRC. We had challenges of document management, data. And a lot of laborious manual work.”

He recalled encouraging IRC staff saying, “The first point of changing anything is to acknowledge that there is a problem. If we do not acknowledge that there exists a problem we will never change anything because that doesn’t cause you or give you the urgency to act.”

In its final development stage, IRC Commissioner General Sam Koim announced the development of the online platform on Friday 1 October 2021. Koim described the endeavor as part of the IRC's efforts to achieving a new technological horizon.

At the launch, Koim said IRC has been a passive tax collector for many years. He said the commission has a lot of ‘laborious manual work’ and thus with the launch of the user-friendly client platform, IRC will operate in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

This was made know at a press conference held last Friday, 1^st October. IRC Commissioner General, Sam Koim announced that the online client platform is being development by NiuPay Limited.

The platform will offer a suite of IRC taxation services online and would enable individuals, organisations, for the first time to lodge returns, pay their taxes and other interactions previously only performed at an IRC office.

Mr Koim said the platform’s development is part of IRC's efforts to achieving a new technological horizon.

The GST section 65A project started in August 2020 with 16 authorized withholders in the government sector. The project aims to address the non-compliance of suppliers to government and prevent revenue leakages.

To ease the labourious work engaged in reporting and accounting for GST, IRC collaborated with the Department of Finance to configure the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) to withhold GST. Phase one of IFMS was launched in May, with 37 government departments now using the IFMS system to withhold GST.

The notice was issued to taxpayers, real estate agents, conveyance lawyers, banks, land registry officials, and others involved in land transactions (both sellers and buyers) and the general public.

In a press conference on Friday 1 October, IRC Commissioner General Sam Koim announced the mandatory valuations, saying the IRC has uncovered many instances of gross evasion of stamp duties and undervaluation of properties, thus a requirement for mandatory evaluation.

The National Capital District Commission has welcomed the National Court ruling in granting an injunction against the IRC.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop called on IRC Commissioner General Sam Koim to remit GST funds from the National Government’s component of GST collected in NCD and not from the 60% component belonging to NCDC’s basket.

IRC Commissioner General, Sam Koim, said this is part of the Tax Crimes Prosecution initiative that they are undertaking this year.

Koim said companies who recently made headlines after receiving contracts under COVID-19 Funding are also being looked into.

Koim said the tax office continues to make it its business to collect revenue for the Government from hard hit tax payers, and spending agencies must spend it responsibly in productive areas.