Excise reforms praised

A tobacco company has commended a government for reforms made to tobacco excise.
According to a story in The Post Courier, British American Tobacco PNG has commended the Government of Papua New Guinea and Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel for introducing positive reforms to the country’s tobacco excise regime.
The reforms, aimed at helping to provide sustainable revenues, were announced on Tuesday as part of the 2019 budget.
In part, the reforms were a step toward clamping down on the rise of untaxed and illicit tobacco products being sold in the country, BAT PNG’s GM Stephanus Duvenage was quoted as saying.
“Illicit tobacco trade has been depriving the country of much needed revenue and has affected the legitimate industry for many years,” Duvenage said.
“These excise reforms announced by the Treasurer will help level the playing field and will enable the legitimate industry to compete against illegal tobacco products which do not pay excise and therefore do not contribute to the PNG economy.”
Duvenage said BAT PNG had been operating and contributing to the PNG economy since 1963.
“The reforms as announced by the Treasurer will ensure companies like BAT PNG continue to contribute and invest in the country for many more years to come,” he said.
“The O’Neill Abel Government has taken meaningful steps to tackle the fight against illicit tobacco and to recover revenue that rightfully belongs to the people of PNG.”
The story did not mention what form the reforms had taken.