A five-hour trip just to sell fish and buy food

Business

By JACKLYN SIRIAS in Kiunga
LOCALS in Fly River rely on fishing as their main source of income.
Johnson Baiyonge from Givbaretmin village said his family depended on fishing as the village was located near the Fly river.
He said the only problem they faced was the distance they had to travel to sell their catch.
“Transport is a big issue as the river connects us with centres which have basic services we don’t have in our village,” Baiyonge said. He said they usually travelled for more than five hours from their village by canoe, dinghy or outboard motor canoes.
They pay K20 to get to Kiunga to sell their catch.
They also have the chance to access health services and get food supplies. “Market facilities and customers in our area are not good so we have to come to Kiunga,” he said.
“We have schools and health facilities built in our area, but there are no teachers and health  workers.”