Photo credit: National Research Institute
According to National Research Institute (NRI) interim director Osborne Sanida, the government must embrace digital transformation to promote commerce.
“the volume of trade has increased over the years with the reduction of tariffs,” he said.
“We need to ensure that digital transformation is used to our advantage to facilitate trade.
“But we must, at the same time, guard against many adverse impacts on information explosion in this ICT (information, communications technology) age.”
ICT, according to Sanida, provides all types of information on multiple platforms.
“So, how can we tell what is relevant and what is not?” he said.
“The producing of valid statistics and developing data is important for research, analysis and providing reliable policy recommendations.
“Digital transforms functions from labour-based to digital or electronic-based systems.”
PNG, Sanida said a Customs Business Consultative Forum, has an open economy that relies heavily on commerce.
Sanida said PNG Customs had gone from manual document processing to automation of customs processing and procedures, which included electronic document submission, adoption of electronic payment systems, inter-agency coordination, and interagency Government systems involving clearance, among other things.
Reference: The National (27 May 2022). “Embrace digital tech to facilitate trade, says institute”.
