‘Dry’ main market closed

ONE of the largest markets in the country, the Lae Main Market, was forced to shut its gates to traders and customers on Friday as a result of the continuous water shortage in the city.
With the cholera outbreak alert still in effect, the market authorities made the decision to stop their operations at midday after all their taps ran dry.
Their main concern was the market public toilets, which was affected posing a risk to users as well as the sellers and consumers.
Many people who turned up at the gates during the lunch hour to buy garden produce were left with no choice but to leave.
Market workers and security guards manned the four gates and rounded up those who were inside to leave.
The situation this week is expected to return to normal after the Waterboard installed the two generators which were brought from Brisbane, at two pumping stations located along Independence Drive.