Issues with drainage halts use of market

THE new Goroka market is still not open to vendors and the public due to drainage issues, an official says.
Goroka Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Chris Anders told The National that various issues associated with the K20 million market, which was opened on January, should be addressed before the market would be opened to the public.
“There was some talk that the market was closed due to drainage issues. Two of our members, one an architect, and another in road construction, offered their services to fix the situation but the offer was not taken up,” Anders said.
Also, Prime Minister James Marape said in Parliament last week that he was aware that there were landowner issues and controversy over who was responsible to manage the market.
Marape said the market, built under former Eastern Highlands governor Julie Soso, was completed and local authorities and provincial governments should work together and open the market to provide opportunities for the people.
Anders said the chamber suggested many times for the new market to be opened.
“As it is fenced, it would have been easy to space the mothers selling food out and control the numbers entering the market,” he said.
“When the pandemic was running at its height, this would have helped to slow the transmission.”
The current temporary market is located at Peace Park.