K26 million Madang market set to open

The K26 million Madang town market funded by Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will finally open for business next Monday.
The market was opened last month but its gates remained shut while officials sorted out its ownership and management.
Madang town Mayor Joe Yama announced in a press conference yesterday that provincial administrator Daniel Aloi had given the keys for the urban council to operate the market.
Yama apologised to the public for the delay, saying the Madang Urban LLG (MULLG) and the provincial administration had taken a long time to settle the matter as to who would operate the market.
He thanked the Japanese government for funding the market following a request by MULLG in 2011.
Acting town manager Philip Posanau said the new market would be properly managed and vendors would be allocated spaces according to the types of food they would sell.
“All greens will be on one side, all kaukau and taro on one side,” Posanau said. “There will be no mixing as we want to make sure everything is in order.”
He said 56 field staff of MULLG were issued new uniforms and were cleaning up the market to prepare for next Monday’s opening.
According to Posanau, markets fees would be paid at the main gate before vendors entered.
They would also pay fees to use the shower and toilets at the market.
Yama appealed to vendors to look after the property.
He expected the market to generate about K10,000 to K15,000 weekly. Yama said the new market board, comprising representatives from the Police Department, National Fisheries Authority, Department of Agriculture and Livestock and the Madang Chamber of Commerce, would ensure that the facility was operated transparently.