The projects have been ongoing and the IPA is focusing on implementing them.
One project that is anticipated to be implemented is the Online Lodgement Project.
A contract between the IPA and a New Zealand company is due to be signed soon after necessary clearances from relevant authorities within PNG.
The PNG government in its 2012 Development Budget allocated K2.2 million through the Public Improvement Program (PIP) specifically for the online lodgement project.
The online lodgement project will enable all lodgements of company documents including foreign certification documents to be lodged online.
The project is set to positively affect the services provided by the IPA and the quality of lodgement would cut down on waiting time for documents to be processed.
The new approach shifts the onus and burden of submitting correct and complete information to the lodging party.
The system will also be able to advise during lodgement whether clients have filled out the forms correctly and will reject the application at the point of lodgement if information provided is incomplete or irregular.
The other major project is the review of the Companies Act and the Business Names Act.
A draft bill for the Companies Act is in place and will be presented to the National Executive Council early this year by the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry while the Business Names Act review is in its drafting stages.
Furthermore, the IPA Board has endorsed for the training phase of Post PNG staff in line with the IPA/Post PNG Agreement.
IPA will provide training for Post PNG staff in regard to standard procedures under this arrangement and the IPA’s Business Information and Facilitation Division officers have begun the training program.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in November 2011 to effect this arrangement which is expected to early 2012.
Under this arrangement, Post PNG will receive IPA registration forms and other compliance forms, including payments, at potentially any Post PNG counter in Papua New Guinea and deliver those forms and receipts to IPA through its Express Mail Service (EMS).
The forms once lodged and IPA fees paid in full either through bank deposit or by cash at the Post PNG counter then Post PNG charges IPA the administrative handling fees.
After the documents have been processed at the IPA, a response or a certificate is then dispatched through the normal postal service.
The initiative will ease some of IPA’s front counter arrangement, and will improve the reach of its services to more people around the country.
A training schedule is currently being drawn up for the Post PNG staff in the piloted centres.
The IPA is set on ensuring that these projects take effect.
Business and Investment Review will be bringing updates of the projects throughout the year.