By LORRAINE WOHI
THE Government has allocated a total K250million to eliminate all fuel taxes on retail purchases and will take effect starting May 8.
The matter came into effect following the passage of the legislative amendments relating to reduction of goods and services tax and on fuel in Parliament on Thursday last week.
Treasurer and Kavieng MP, Ian Ling-Stuckey, said they will eliminate all fuel excise taxes savings of 61 toea on every litre of petrol and 23 toea on every litre of diesel.
“We will also get rid of the GST on all fuel-leading to average savings of around 46 toea in Port Moresby for every litre, and on even larger saving in rural areas,” he said.
“These will be in effect starting May to October for a period of six months.”
The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) has now appeal to all fuel retail outlets to comply with the measures.
The ICCC Commissioner, Paulus Ain said the ICCC team starting May 8 will be on the ground to regularly meet with the pump owners and retailers in ensuring they comply with the laws.
“Anyone who is reluctant to change those prices will be arrested. Corporate greed should be avoided at all cost during this time by the business communities,” Ain said.
“We want all the business houses that are relying on fuel for jet airlines, major industries that are relaying on fuel and the transport sector, shipping, the public transport in the country to reduce their bus fees, air fares, shipping, that has to be passed on.
“Corporate greed for them robbing our little people should now be avoided by those business houses. We will be working with other Government agencies to ensure that this is passed on to the consumers immediately.”
He said in regards to the 10% reduction in GST for selected household items, the ICCC has already deployed its staff into almost all the Provinces and business houses have been advise not increase their price more than 10%.
“This message has been conveyed to the business houses and they are fully and well aware of it,” Ain said.
“If you want to adjust your price, make a submission to the ICCC, we will go back to the genesis of the price and we will cross to see so that you recover you take back what belongs to you.
“But if you want to make additional money, we will allow only 10%.”
Meanwhile, ICCC has also appealed to consumers to report any businesses that are not complying with these measures to any ICCC office or through their Facebook page, phones and email.
