WITNESS

THE management of the Mt Hagen main market is not responsible for rubbish outside the market, which it said was the responsibility of the city council.
Mt Hagen city council acting deputy city manager Robert Romba had claimed the rubbish was the responsibility of the market management.
However, market management spokesman Rex Punim said they were only responsible for what was inside the market area and anything outside belonged to the council.
Punim said the market was funded by the Australian Government through the PNG incentive fund. “Since the opening (in 2006) and up till now, the market management and the city council have not come together to discuss such issues and work as a team to clean the pile of rubbish.
We operate on our own but there is some confusion over responsibilities, Punim said.
He said rubbish outside the market consisted of plastics, containers and bags which came from the shops.
“Inside the market there is only organic rubbish from the garden food and the management is up to date to clean it every day before closing of business,” Punim said.