Businesses are losing about K100,000 following the office closure of the Southern region PNG Customs Service due to nonpayment of rentals.

A business (name withheld) said yesterday that there were unable to get clearance for seven of their shipping containers at the wharf in Port Moresby, and was losing more than K30,000 a day in revenue.

The Customs Service office at Steamships Compound in Gordon, off Poreporena Freeway, had been locked since January 12 and was still closed yesterday. It is responsible for the collection of revenue amounting to about K10 million a week, comprising goods and services taxes, excise and import duties.

The company said apart from losing that huge sum of money they were also liable to pay for the wharf storage to PNG Ports on a daily basis, including container detention fees to the shipping lines, which is about K200 a day for each container.

A company spokesperson said they are waiting for their seven detained containers to be released while more containers are due to arrive soon. The Customs Service Southern region utility bills amounting to K4 million had not been paid for two years although PNG Customs Commissioner Ray Paul said that the forced closure had not affected their operations nationwide.

The closure of the office has affected customers who are required to pay duties so as to have access to their imported goods.

A customer who fronted at the office to pay his duties was disappointed and expressed dissatisfaction, saying the prolonged closure of such an important office would affect the business community.

The customer said his shipment of goods arrived at the Port Moresby wharf on Saturday, January 13, and he needed to transport them out of port before the PNG Ports set deadline for removal of cargoes. In the meantime, customers and those who require the services of the closed office are advised to make their way to the PNG Customs office at Six-Mile.

The property that houses the PNG Customs Southern region operations office at Gordon is owned by Pacific Palms Property which has refused to comment on the issue.

Chief Secretary to Government Isaac Lupari was not available for comment yesterday although he said last week the Government had issues with landlords locking offices, that there were 75 buildings were rented throughout the country costing the Government more than K250 million a year.

He said a meeting was being held last Wednesday, January 17, to review all the market rates, rentals and all other government rental issues.