Filthy kitchen, store shut down

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A TRADE store owned by a Bangladeshi was shut down by a  joint government team yesterday after the owner failed to turn up to produce his passport, work permit and business-operating licence as promised.
Another store owned by another Bangladeshi was told to shut down its food bar after the team found filth in the kitchen.
Both stores were operating in non-commercial areas in Port Moresby.
The PNG Immigration-led team had officers from PNG Customs, Labour, National Capital District Commission, police and Investment Promotion Authority and came across the store in a settlement.
They asked   to see the owner but he was  not at the store.
The officers then called him on the phone, requesting his presence with his documents.
He, according to the officers, assured the officers that he would be available within 10 minutes but he did not turn up.
IPA and NCDC, in checking their respective records, confirmed that it was an unregistered store and shut it down after waiting for an hour.
The team ordered the other store to shut down the food bar after NCDC and Labour officers made inspection of the kitchen and uncovered an unhygienic and filthy working environment.
Meanwhile, locals living near both stores were pleased to see the presence of the team and complained about been mistreated by the owners.
Locals in the settlement claimed that the owner did not accept worn-out or slightly torn kina notes.
“We are confused if they ever do bank their takings because if they do banking, they will get fresh notes,”one resident told The National.
“We are suspecting that they don’t bank their takings but they take it out of the country and that’s why they always want brand new notes.
“They sometimes heat up foods left over from the previous nights and we buy them.  When we take the stale food back to them, they shout and chase us away.”
People who frequented the other store had similar complaints.