City rangers leader denies allegations

 DEPUTY chairman of the Mt Hagen Kei Doa City Rangers John Kama has denied allegations that his men poured engine oil on a street vendor two weeks ago.

Kama said the newspaper report was misleading.

He claimed that it was Mt Hagen City Authority workers who had been doing it and not the Kei Doa City Rangers who did not work on weekends.

Kama said the City Rangers were made up of youths from tribes living near the city who were volunteers.

“This is a non-government organisation registered and members are not paid for what they are doing, Kama said

“We are only helping. We do not arrest people or attack street vendors or even punish them.”

He said the rangers only made sure that the city was clean and safe. They have no powers to destroy markets on the streets.

Kama said his men were starting to plant flowers in the city.

He said they did not receive any support from the national or provincial government.

“We do not beg or knock on the doors of business houses for support.”

Kama said people were selling betel nuts everywhere, pigs were sold in front of shops and rubbish dumped at every corner.

He said the public must know the difference between the Kei Doa City Rangers and the City Authority officials.

“I want to make it clear to the public that City Rangers are with green uniforms patrolling the streets and collecting rubbish and they work from Monday to Friday and not on the weekends,” he said.