Paying land taxes in Papua New Guinea's industrial city of Lae has become more accessible, with residents and business operators now able to complete their payments online through a newly introduced digital platform.
The Lae City Authority has partnered with fintech company NiuPay to launch ServiceLink, a digital portal intended to ease overcrowding at municipal offices and improve the delivery of council services through electronic transactions.
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| PNG's Lae City Authority Introduces Online Land Tax Payment System/Photo supplied |
The system allows ratepayers to create accounts, connect their property records and pay outstanding land taxes remotely, eliminating the need for physical visits to council offices or cash payments at service counters.
LCA chief executive officer Robin Calistus said the initiative was part of efforts to improve administrative efficiency and provide a more convenient payment process for the city's taxpayers.
He said the platform would allow people to complete their transactions from their homes or workplaces rather than travelling to municipal offices.
"Basically, you are in the office or you are at home actually doing the transactions through the ServiceLink that is being provided," Calistus said.
"We want them to just stay in the office and do the payment."
NiuPay chief operating officer Trevor Manokore said moving payments online would address concerns over cash security while making transactions more efficient for the public.
"The elimination of cash payments is a big one," Manokore said. "People no longer have to carry cash around."
The initial rollout covers land tax payments, but the Lae City Authority intends to expand the portal to accommodate other municipal charges, including trading licences and garbage management fees, as more services are digitised.