By FRANCIS RODNEY PULU
MOROBE Governor Luther Wenge wants 100 per cent inland tax for his province and urged the Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey to release this component.
The Governor expressed this in his questions directed to Treasurer Ling-Stuckey during question time in parliament last week.
Wenge said Morobe is a big country within a country of PNG and delivers about K3 billion of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) towards country’s purse.
Governor Wenge said he is having difficulty trying to put money to brining road to Kabwum and Finchafen, to build roads from Sine Sine to Menyama and bring road in Were Were in Wau Bulolo Electorate to Garaina and on the coast of Salamaua to the border of Madang and Oro provinces.
“I want to ask you one question and that question is, can you give us the 100 per cent on the inland tax. You can have the import and export levy. Also, because we are a nation, you can keep the company and the income taxes. We only want the 100 % inland tax and it is almost about a billion,” Wenge said.
“I can take care of everything and all the problems in Morobe, not all of them but substantively will answer them by the allocation of money of that tax to us and you can kiss us good bye because we will have sufficient money to take care of ourselves.
So, Minister can you work with the Internal Revenue Commission to make sure we get the 100 % of inland tax,” he questioned.
In his response, Treasurer Ling-Stuckey said he would be happy to consider that request but it places him under great pressure in terms of raising revenue and so that is quite shaky.
“What I can do is, for you and your team to sit down with me and explore other ways in which you can raise revenue in your province,” he said.
The Treasurer also encouraged the Governor to attend Provincial Governors sessions where Governors do take some time to go to the treasury.
“You have heard me and I encourage you to embark on the labor mobility program. That is the program we are advancing it very quickly. And that has been one area where all Governors come through the treasury and we encourage them (Governors) to participate.
The funds raised there might be able to make up some other areas where you will be raising revenue,” he said.
