Lulu: Safe city programme to continue

Business

By LEMACH LAVARI
National Capital District Commission (NCDC) will continue partnering UN Women to make markets safer for women and girls in Port Moresby, says deputy city manager Ted Lulu, pictured.
He said that UN Women was an important partner agency and NCDC hoped to maintain the partnership.
“We have enjoyed working with UN Women over the past years since they have come on board,” Lulu said.
“Our market situations are quite unique and vary with many different challenges.
“Such circumstances provide the opportunity for UN Women and NCDC markets division to work together, to develop ideas and strategies to overcome the many different challenges experienced in the markets.”
UN Women programme specialist Christina Cheong said UN Women launched the Port Moresby Safe City Programme in 2011.
From this partnership the women-only public transportation buses were launched.
“The buses were funded by the government of Australia, in partnership with UN Women and Ginigoada Bisnis Development Foundation, a local NGO,” Cheong said.
“The engagement with NCDC markets division was to introduce programmes to vendors to improve business. They provided funding for the upgrade of the Gerehu market, making the facilities safer especially for women and girls.
“The UN women have also trialed an electronic billing system at Boroko for vendors who pay for market space.
“The system protects vendors from overpaying.”
Cheong said they hoped to renew the partnership with NCDC in the coming months as the agreement was for a five-year period and had expired last year.
Meanwhile, Lulu said NCDC will continue to develop more markets to provide the opportunity for vendors to do business and encourage small to medium-sized enterprises.
He said the financial literacy of vendors was an important agenda.