Warning on posters

Main Stories

By REBECCA KUKU, PISAI GUMAR and ELIZABETH VUVU

CITY authorities in Port Moresby, Lae and Kokopo have warned candidates that they will be fined if they put up banners and billboards in the municipal boundaries without prior approval.
This is to prevent littering in public areas and the defacement of streets, power poles and buildings as witnessed in past elections.
Port Moresby city manager Leslie Alu said a penalty of K4000 would be imposed on candidates who failed to obtain approval to put up banners and billboards.
“In previous elections, we had seen an unlimited amount of banners on power poles or street lights. After the elections, the banners were not removed and usually the NCDC ends up removing them,” he said.
“That is why we have placed advertisements in both daily newspapers to remind all intending candidates that putting up banners and billboards require the approval (of the Physical Planning section).
“The same applies to posters put on trees, power poles, sign boards or anywhere. It only defaces the city when elections are over and are usually hard to remove.”
He said some candidates in 2012 complied with the rules and the city was not as dirty as was the case in 2007.
He said banners not approved would be removed.
Lae city manager Roy Kamen said the same rule was applied during any public gatherings and rallies in the city.
He said candidates must comply with the law before erecting billboards and posters around the city.
“I have issued a circular to the building section of the city authority to impose fees on candidates before erecting billboards and posters in public areas,” he said.
“The building section will remove posters and billboards of candidates whose names are not on our list.”
He also urged the candidates and supporters not to disrupt traffic and business in the city.
In Kokopo, city manager Freddy Lemeki said candidates and supporters must obtain approval before putting up posters and banners.
Lemeki said approval must be obtained from PNG Power Ltd if posters and banners were to be put on power poles.
He said candidates and supporters who wanted to put posters and banners on public properties must get approval from him.
Lemeki said candidates wanting to put up posters outside shops must get the approval of the shop owners.