Lawlessness in Lae suburb worrying

 By GABRIEL LAHOC

LAE Lord Mayor Koim Trilu Leahy is concerned about increasing lawlessness in a city suburb where he lives.

West Taraka, a former national housing commission property, is quickly turning into one of the biggest squatter settlements in Lae.

The area lacks basic services such as sewerage, clean water, electricity and garbage removal.

Leahy said law and order was the biggest problem at West Taraka because of the increasing squatter population there. Some of the settlers included those recently evicted from the Banana Block squatter settlement near the West Taraka Bridge.

The displaced families have moved to West Taraka.

“As the Lae Lord Mayor and resident at West Taraka, I have a big concern for the people,” he said.

“West Taraka is now overpopulated. I estimate the population to be more than 50,000 people.

“It is a time-bomb and I fear that anytime soon there will be a big ethnic clash there.”

He called on the Morobe provincial physical planning board to address the problem, and relevant authorities to crackdown on small business operators and PMV operators.