Ban bites hard

By JACKLYN SIRIAS

IF you chew betel nuts in the capital city from Monday, you face an instant fine of K300.
And if you do not have the money, be prepared to spend the night in a cell.
The National Capital District Commission announced stringent measures in Port Moresby yesterday, shifting focus of the buai ban from sellers to chewers in a move that seems to be heading towards a zero-tolerance of the nuts and the rubbish that goes with them in the city.
Private vehicles and PMV buses and cars in the city will be stopped for checks and roadblocks set up to fine offenders in an unprecedented move that could kick up controversy.
NCDC’s community and social services and the controller of the buai ban Honk Kiap told a press conference at the City Hall yesterday: “On Monday we will start random roadblocks in the city and NCDC police will literally check every PMV bus, even taxi, if people are chewing. If you are caught chewing betel nuts in a PMV, you will be arrested and charged.”
Kiap said because the law regarding a proposed K500 spot fine was yet to be sorted, chewers would be fined K300 under the summary offence Act for littering if they were caught chewing.
“Our target on the sellers, we’ll minimize it for a while and allow people to buy and sell, but we’ll now target chewers,” he said.
“It is not the people who are selling the betel nuts but those who are buying and chewing are the ones who are littering the city.”
Kiap said that they would check private motor vehicles as well for chewers.
“For private motor vehicles, people might think that we are interfering with their privacy but we will stop them and if they are chewing in their vehicles we will also charge them accordingly,” Kiap said.
He appealed to private vehicle owners to have spittle bags or containers in their vehicles to dispose of their garbage to avoid penalties.
“If you are chewing in a public vehicle (bus or taxi) or even in your private car, if you can’t demonstrate how you are going to take care of your betel nut spittle, then have K300 readily available so that you can bail yourself out,” Kiap said.
“Our issues are not about dealing with rubbish from betel nuts only, but when people congregate to buy and sell betel nuts.
“Unwanted social issues arise like alcohol abuse, drug exchange, prostitution, stealing, people being stabbed and other related crimes.
“We will work to introduce tough laws that would deter people to minimise lawlessness in the city.”