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Business Statistics The Economic Statistics Division consists of four branches namely, the Economic Accounts Branch, Business Statistics Branch, Household Economic Statistics Branch, and International Trade Statistics Branch. Broad range of economic statistics is produced through these Branches. The activities of this Branch involve the collection, compilation and publication of statistics on business activities in Papua New Guinea. These are realised through administering Annual Business Census Questionnaire to all businesses registered under the Investment Promotion Act. This Branch also maintains the Central Register of Business. Statistical information produced by this branch covers annual business income and expenditure operation in Papua New Guinea. HOUSEHOLD ECONOMIC STATISTICS BRANCH The major task of the Branch is the publication of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Prices are collected weekly for fresh fruits, vegetables and betelnuts, monthly for food, drinks, tobacco and grocery items, quarterly for clothing and footwear, and annually for education fees. Currently the household survey covers only Port. Moresby, Goroka, Lae, Madang and Kokopo. The town of Kimbe is now being include in the CPI data collection. Price information is collected from 240 retail outlets. They include local markets, supermarkets, trade stores, hotels, garages, taxi operators, the Transport Control Board and the schools. Pressure has been placed on NSO to reconsider the number of consumer food items in the CPI basket. Base on John Gibson's survey report of 1996, the NSO is now attempting to engage a consultant from SPC to look at the possibility of re-basing the CPI and as well as include other urban areas in the present CPI measurement. The Branch is understaffed at present and could not carry out all its activities, however, with its current staff strength it has attempted to produce what it is expected off. Nevertheless, adequate resources are needed to carry out the said project on the re-basing of CPI. This Branch is responsible for the production of Papua New Guinea's Annual National Accounts Statistics. The Branch itself is consisting of a very limited number of staff and is having problem of getting the information on time. A Consultant under the UN Technical Cooperation Program has been identified to study the possibility of improving the current system of processing the statistics on National Accounts. INTERNATIONAL TRADE STATISTICS BRANCH The Branch responsibility is the production of Statistics on the Trade Activities (import/export). It is utilising the Asycuda system by the Internal Revenue Commission to capture data at Customs Port of Entry and source all the information relevant to import and export statistics to the NSO. |
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