Gordon, Tulait markets remain closed in City Hall operations

PORT Moresby’s Gordon Market and the 5-Mile Tulait informal market, which were shut down last week, will remain closed, a National Capital District Commission official said yesterday.
The commission’s deputy city manager Honk Kiap, who is also the commander for ‘Operation Rain Deer 2011’, added that the operation to target betelnut vendors to minimise petty crimes as well as other illegal activities would continue into the New Year to ensure public safety.
He rejected claims that people had not been informed about the operation which began on Dec 1.
Reports that the commission’s operation team and their policemen were chasing vendors away and stealing their money and belongings were also untrue, Kiap added.
The allegations were reported in the media after the operation team went to 5-Mile and closed the informal market down on Dec 29.
Such stories tarnished the image and the reputation of the commission.
 “Such reporting is unbalanced as it lacks the truth.”
He said an awareness campaign about the operation was done last July and people knew about it.
 “The awareness was on the issues of consuming alcohol in public, loitering and drink-driving, harassing in public places, trading liquor and the sale and consumption of illegal drugs.”
Kiap said the commission had been getting reports from 5-Mile residents that the informal market was a gathering place for drunkards. They had also experienced a rise in petty crimes in the area.
“Our main concern for carrying out this operation was to protect the innocent people who are becoming victims of these activities by a minority group of people.”
The commission had also found that a few of the residents at Five Mile have been leasing their land to the betel nut sellers.
The commission will make sure these people provide them proof that they had followed proper procedures for land leasing.
“That place is a residential area but because of the betelnut market, people with different intentions take advantage of that and carry out other illegal activities.
“It is not a planned market and there is no proper sanitation . . . people were using the drains to urinate and excrete which is very unhygienic.”
The informal market also caused traffic jams. “ … proper measures need to be in place to address these issues.”
There were designated locations in the city for selling betelnut such as Tokarara, Hohola Lareva Market and 8 Mile Boina Tuna Market yet betelnut sellers were not using them.
These illegal sites had become a a breeding ground for petty crimes such as pick pocketing and other illegal activities.
 “The commission targeted Gordons Bus Stop because it is a place where fresh garden produce is sold and because of betelnut vendors, all kinds of people with different intentions mingle around there and innocent people are becoming victims to such activities,” Kiap said.
Policemen are currently guarding the market 24 hours since the closure and have been ordering betelnut vendors to move on to the designated locations in the city.