Fight forces Gulf authority to put temporary ban on betel nuts

PROVINCIAL authorities in Gulf have put in place a temporary ban on betel nut buyers travelling to the province after locals damaged some of their vehicles.
Provincial police commander Inspector Silva Sika said provincial administration officials had met with representatives of betel nut buyers travelling to Kerema town to buy betel nuts. “Sika said a fight broke out between highlanders and locals over the price of betel nut. A couple of buses travelling from Port Moresby were damaged by locals. Police had to escort the buses out of the town,” he said.
“The district management team will draw up a plan to ban outsiders from coming to buy betel nuts from locals. Currently most of them take their betel nut to the 9-Mile’s wholesale market where they are manipulated.”