Call for better security at market

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday December 17th, 2013

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

VENDORS at the Mt Hagen main market have called on the Western Highlands provincial police commander to boost security at the market.

Mary Tame, a vegetable producer from Tambul, said the ethnic clashes at the market in the past three weeks had spoiled business for the vendors

Tame said she lost vegetables worth more than K300 during a fight there last Friday.

“When the fights start outside, the opportunists run into the market and grab our produce and run away,” she said.

She called on provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari to send armed policemen to provide security at the market and also at the main bus stop.

Mary said many people waiting to catch PMV buses to other provinces such as Chimbu, Goroka, Lae and Madang were harassed and robbed by youths going around in groups.

John Kela, a banana seller at the market, said there should be more police presence.

Lakari said last Tuesday that police would arrest people involved in ethnic clashes in the city. But since the groups started fighting again last Friday, police made no attempts to arrest them.

Tame said she was selling vegetables to send her son to University of Papua New Guinea next year. And such disturbances inside the market were affecting sales.

She said two ethnic groups continuously fight at the market. She said police should do more to stop the robberies and violence.