Lae community discusses decision to remove settlements

By JIMMY KALEBE
A COMMUNITY meeting at the back of Bumbu Police Barracks in Lae on Sunday discussed a decision by Lae MP John Rosso and Lae Metropolitan Superintendant Anthony Wagambie Jr to evict illegal settlers.
According to Rosso and Wagambie, illegal settlements in an around the city would be removed from tomorrow.
Chairman of the Wasteland People’s Association Lot Omole during the meeting with settlers and others said: “We have been mindful and exercise awareness in keeping law and order in the block.”
He said community leaders there were in full support of what Rosso and police were trying to do and what Lae MP said about relocating those affected.
“Many of us are working people and taxpayers and we look for opportunities to find a decent home where we can settle and attend work,” Omole said. He said community leaders there had been “very vocal about law and order problems over the last 30 years” since the establishment of their settlement.
“We have planned set ups that will cater for development and we regard our block as not settlement but a village,” he said.
Omole said a document was in place to develop the area and they needed support from authorities to develop the plan. Omole called on citizens in the block to uphold law and order and to abide by the rules of the community.
Law and order chairman of the Bumbu Police Barracks Banana Block Martin Nei Mani also supported the move by Rosso and the police and said it is good to weed out problems in communities.
“We will work closely with them and make sure to genuine settlers are catered for and that there is a decent place for people to live in and go to work or school,” he said.