An entrepreneur has welcomed the new e-commerce bill that will be tabled in Parliament this week, saying it will be a turning point for many businesses within the ICT fraternity and Small to Medium Enterprises.
Christopher Vagalia, CEO of Agri-Tech Organics and Director of REEL PNG, said through this bill, entrepreneurs in the country will be given the opportunity to move efficiently into the future.
The e-commerce industry has evolved exponentially in the past couple of years with many Papua New Guineans now trading within the electronic space.
Businesses are now being transformed by business technology and e-commerce.
During the COVID-19 State of Emergency, many businesses in the country were unable to transact and conduct businesses. However, many have taken on the challenge of introducing online platforms and communicating and conducting businesses.
From a developer and entrepreneur perspective, PNG has a lot to benefit from technology such as e-commerce,” Vagalia stated.
“A classic example would be accountability, transparency and efficiency. In a way in which we manage our logistics, these are just some of the benefits that come with e-commerce.”
He explained that when his company was venturing into a partnership with an Australian firm, despite their best efforts, they were faced with regulatory and policy issues – issues that now will be addressed through the new bill.
Secretary of the Department of Justice and Attorney General, Dr. Eric Kwa, said if the bill is passed by Parliament, PNG would be the sixth country in the world to adopt this model from the United Nations International Trade Framework.