By PATRICK SAKAL
THE Central province governor has blamed the National Capital District Commission for changing tax laws that affects income for the province.
Governor Robert Agarobe said by law, the National Capital District Commission should pay Central province more than 30 percent of its revenue.
According to NCD Governor Powes Parkop in a previous statement said the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) is considering going into investments to help boost its revenue.
“We now have no business investment in the city to generate revenue and provide more services to the people. All provincial governments have investments, except us,” he said.
“Our annual budget now is around K340 million and is mostly generated from the Goods and Services Tax’s (GST) through the Internal Revenue Commission. We also have other revenues like the land rates and garbage collections. However, 90 per cent of our revenue is from GST,” Parkop reiterated.
However, Mr Agarobe told this newspaper on Friday that the city authorities have tactically changed the trust deeds to defy paying the required amount under the GST to Central province.
Mr Agarobe said they have worded in the trust deeds that NCDC only contributed 10 percent to Central province for hosting the capital city.
He said it is very clear that NCDC repealed the trust deeds to contribute to Central province 10 percent GST, which is not enough as the province was supposed to be paid 30 percent.
Agarobe added that the contribution from the NCDC means nothing to the city’s host province; therefore, this becomes an administrative issue.
We actually do not get the 10 percent as stated in the law through the trust deed which says NCDC should contribute to Central province.
“How can they contribute to us, we are not kids, we are government?
“We should be paid according to what is in the Act straight to us,” the frustrated governor said.
He said the Act was placed in the system that is very difficult to change and the successive governors have not changed that.
“The people of Central province have mandated me to change things for the betterment of the province.
“With that comes sacrificing my private and family lives and my resources.
“That is the sacrifice that I make to be in the mandated position to change this system of government.
“I am not only interested in winning a next election but five years in the government as governor is good enough for changing few systems like changing the GST Act and obtaining land titles for the province.
“I need to make it count as I don’t need to change the whole province but I need to change one thing.
“When I am gone it is the next guy’s job to change another thing until our future generation will see a greatly changed and developed Central province,” Governor Agarobe reiterated.
Port Moresby metropolis should not be treated like a Province. It’s a business & government hub where workers in all walks of life live & work including overseas missions & multi-conglomerates. The wide spectrum of the working class should be given the same treatment you’d find anywhere else in the world. Parkop & his regime are ignoring basic municipal services for a metropolis & wasting time, money & efforts on expanding settlement cities to accommodate ever increasing Highlands immigrants at the expense of resident tax payers of the city. The politics of the city is have been nicely weaved to divide & rule tact between the working class & settlement dwellers hence if this is the planned new normal a combined effort is needed to remove Parkop & his regime in the 2022 NGE. Only then can we see modern fast lane services expected of a metropolitan setting you’d see in Sydney, Auckland, Jarkata, Singaore & Philippines. Locals will rightly enjoy spin-off benefits while the working class & their families enjoy the recipes of fast lane & stroll the markets & hyperdomes at will & free of disturbances.
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