Local contractor tasked to clean up graffiti

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A local contractor has been tasked to clean up graffiti at bus-stop shelters and provide security surveillance to enforce city rules and regulations in Port Moresby.
Dan’s Hire Cars and Real Estate manager Daniel Philip in turn has engaged five youths to remove graffiti at 22 shelters in the city. He started on the job yesterday and told The National that they would also drive around to provide security.
Philip said there were a few culprits using spray paints for graffiti and deface structures and the damage was “terrible and embarrassment” to the city and its residents.
The team started using detergents to clean off graffiti between Gordon and Waigani Drive.
“We just want to get these 22 bus stops cleaned up and get them prepared before the Apec meeting,” he said.
Most of the bus stops were recently built or rebuilt through Chinese funding. All or most had graffiti.
Philip said that National Capital District city manager Bernard Kipit had contracted him to clean the graffiti but he was also driving around to keep an eye out.
“We will clean it and drive around to provide security surveillance over it. We will call up the police if anyone is caught vandalising public property. They will face a K10,000 penalty or go to jail for three years,” he said.
The government tabled a Summary Offences (amendment) Bill 2018 in Parliament last week, with K10,000 as fine or three years’ jail term set for graffiti offences, chewing betel nuts and smoking in public places