In light of the high cost of living experienced by Papua New Guineans, the Independent Consumer and Competitions Commission (ICCC) has come out to call on the government to do something about it now.
The consumer watchdog is concerned about this rising cost of living and is calling for concerted efforts from all relevant government agencies to work together to mitigate this issue.
The ICCC Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Paulus Ain, said the increase is felt all over the world including PNG as a result of global supply disruptions caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic and aggravated by other geopolitical events, including the Russia- Ukraine conflict and the ongoing conflict along the Suez Canal that is forcing the global sea freight index to increase, which then increases the cost of imports- dependent countries like PNG.
He said other factor that also directly influence the cost of imports is the depreciation of the Kina against the US Dollar, as the main international trading currency. But Mr. Ain is adamant that in the long- term, the imbalance in the foreign exchange market will self- correct, leading to price stability.
Mr. Ain also acknowledged the government’s efforts to lessen the high costs, especially the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemption on the prices of 13 selected basic goods/ items that will come into effect in July 2025; however, he says more needs to be done.
He stressed that a collaborative effort is needed from all relevant government agencies to mitigate the high cost of living in the country. These include policy measures to reduce inflation, appropriate tax policies, structure adjustments policies, investment of programs and activities to address infrastructure challenges such as poor roads, unreliable electricity, and security challenges, and the creation of income generation avenues can surely assist in alleviating the cost-of-living pressures on the domestic economy.