Kunabau shall be safe

Weekender

Fed up with problems caused by alcohol and drug abuse, a Chimbu  community sets in place a committee to keep peace and order

By ZACHERY PER
THE days of homebrew and drug addicts disturbing market vendors and Highlands Highway travelers at the Kunabau section in Kerowagi district will now be a thing of the past.
It was reported that there is peace and harmony in Kunabau unlike in the past, following the successful Jan 8, 2022 launch of the Kunabau Peace and Good Order Committee (KPGOC).
Thanks to Kunabau-based civil engineering company Kaiaworks Limited and young community leaders for incorporating the group to end all forms of law and order issues, especially the production and consumption of homebrew and marijuana between Koronigle and Dindadan sections of the Highlands Highway.
Chairman of KPGOC Peter Par said it was very difficult to deal with human beings behaving like animals after heavily intoxicating themselves with homebrew and marijuana.
He said the poor mothers selling garden produce at Dugambagl market in the hope of buying cooking oil, salt or soap were always disturbed by these thugs.
“Numerous attempts to stop these illegal activities over the years have not been successful, leader after leader has tried to control them but all the attempts were hitting brick walls.
“Maybe we lack appropriate resources to sustain the good initiatives. Today I thank Kaiaworks Limited and its Managing Director Godfrid Umba for supporting us with K20,000 as seed capital and young elites Michael Konduale and Ludwig Aur for assisting to incorporate KPGOC making it a legal entity,” Par said.
He added that people have heard and seen that the rise of homebrew and drug production and consumption in Dugulogambagl market, Mingende and entire Kunabau areas becoming uncontrollable. There was a long of evil activities, people were lazy and there was no order control and the situation was a grave concern for all law abiding citizens, he said.
“We have many government institutions like Kunabau Primary and High School, Gagl Primary School, Rosary Secondary School, Mingende Catholic Mission, Mingende Rural Hospital, technical/vocational schools, Mingende Primary School and we have Kaiaworks Limited. Such disorderly manner and attitudes has already instilled fear and insecurity to these service providers and visitors,” Par said.
He said the support and guidance of Umba brought all Kunabau leaders together which resulted in the formation and incorporated on the peace and good order committee.
“Enough is enough, this is the last launch and I am the last leader standing to cut ribbons to declare Kunabau as marijuana and homebrew-free.”Upcoming Kunabau leaders who spoke at the launch applauded the support of Kaiaworks Ltd managing director Godfrid Umba for the support to end negative attitudes and law and order issues, especially at Duglogambagl market.
Umba acknowledged the decision of their grandfathers to allow the Government to build the highlands highway to run through the Kunabau area and also the land they allowed Catholic missionaries to establish at mission station, primary school and hospital that enabled them to develop.
He said they could not have developed to be where they are today but the wise decision of their grandfathers to allow their land free for development has seen a lot of change and development through the generations.
“If these grandfathers were still alive today, they will be the happiest as they never thought of getting anything in return but all they wanted to see was the prosperity of their future generations. However, the young generations never achieved what their grandfathers had dreamt of,” he said.
Umba said young generations had never listened to leaders, government and politicians’ plea for them to stop marijuana and homebrew production and consumption in Kunabau especially at Duglogambagl market.
“Many government officials and civil society leaders confirmed their coming but they are not here, because there were many similar gatherings in the past that never amounted to anything that lasted. That is why they do not want to waste their time attending this event. However, it is also disheartening to see government leaders are not coming. We are working hard behind the scenes to pay taxes, we little people pay tax and the Government must make it a priority to come,” he said.

Umba said after the launch of the KPGOC and declaration to stop marijuana and homebrew in Kunabau, the future was now in the hands of the youths to participate in economic activities and education for their future children.
He said to keep the operation of the KPGOC they needed money and he committed his employees from Kunabau to contribute contribute small amounts of money from their salaries towards the organisation.
Two young people from Kunabau who work and livein Port Moresby, Francis Kondudagle Michael and Ludwig Aur who were present, committed over K2,000 of their own money to help the committee.
They appealed to other working class people from Kunabau around the country to chip in fortnightly or monthly contributions towards the operation of the organisation.
The launch puts an end to harassment petty crime along the stretch of the Highlands Highway between Koronigle and Dindadan, mainly at Duglogambagl market.
The executives of the KPGOC are Peter Par (chairman), Kilu Peter (deputy chairman), Francis Aba (secretary) and (former premier of Chimbu) Edward Bare (treasurer).
Initially Kaiaworks Ltd supported KPGOC with K20,000 which helped to open a bank account, register with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA), write a committee constitution and set up an office.
The motto at the launch was ‘Say no to drugs, homebrew and disorderly behaviour.