Border trade ‘thriving’

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE trading of vanilla at the border is flourishing between PNG villagers and Indonesian buyers, an official says.
West Sepik border administration officer Ashley Wayne said on Monday trading was good because it was boosting friendship and trade activities between the people.
He said the sad part was that trading was carried out in the open.
“There is no building for the sellers and buyers to meet and conduct business,” Wayne said.
“The newly-built Wutung Border Administration complex has not been commissioned yet to facilitate such trading.”
Wayne said only traders with export and import licences were facilitated by the customs, immigrations and quarantine officers on both sides of the border.
Meanwhile, Vanimo-based Indonesian Consul Iwan Lubis said the increasing contact and cooperation between government agencies and more people crossing the border, could indicate “our thriving and healthy relations”.
Lubius said the Indonesian government was playing its part to implement the memorandum of understanding they had signed with the PNG Government.
They include the issuing of short tourist visas for PNG citizens travelling to Indonesia and the construction of the new Indonesian border administration complex.
Lubis said they expected PNG to play its part in promoting trade along the border.