Illegal-roadblock offenders face fines up to K1 million

SETTING up roadblocks is illegal and offenders can face fines of up to a million kina or be sent to prison for 10 years or both, Central police commander Chief Superintendent Sibron Papoto said.
He made the call following a confrontation between the betel nut growers from Mekeo and buyers from Port Moresby on Tuesday that resulted in the growers setting up roadblocks to prevent buyers and sellers entering or leaving the province.
“The confrontation happened as a result of the betel nut buyers trying to bargain with the local growers to purchase their produce at a very low price,” Papoto told The National.
Gulf commander Silva Sika raised similar concerns.
He said his people who were travelling into Port Moresby and vice-versa were being affected by the illegal roadblocks that were being set up, especially along the Mekeo area.
“There is no legal law permitting any civilian Papua New Guinean to put up such roadblocks to disrupt the travelling public,” Sika said.
According to the Protection of Transport and Infrastructure Act 2010, a person who intentionally or recklessly or carelessly and without lawful authority, destroys or damages any transport infrastructure is guilty of an offence.
In that case, the road is a transport infrastructure.
The Act said this could see a maximum fine of Kl million or imprisonment for a term of 10 years and below, or both.
Papoto said because the two-week betel nut ban was declared by the Central government to address the issue in the province, there would only be two roadblocks set up at Apanaipi and Inawabui villages which police would be doing to enforce the ban.
He said that during the ban, there should not be any buyers going into the province or sellers taking betel nuts into Port Moresby.
“There are also instances where police officers in the city are wearing police uniforms and driving civilian vehicles into the province to purchase betel nuts which is not right,” Papoto said.
NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Perou N’dranou said people should report police officers engaged in illegal activities.