Madang locals want vending, settlers removed

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
THE people of Madang want street vending and squatting banned in the province.
They are the main items in a petition they presented to the provincial police commander.
Their call comes after an incident last week in which a group of drunken men – one, the adopted son of a prominent businessman – and his gang of five returned from the police station after being taken in.
The men threatened, harassed and fought with anyone they could find.
Five mothers who normally sold food at the Nelrick waterfront had their bilums, food and money stolen.
They were manhandled and forced to jump into the sea to save themselves from further attacks.
Young mother, Sandra Erwin, showed a bad cut to her left cheek. She said the businessman’s son threw a bottle of beer at her, inflicting a deep wound.
She claimed the men fought with her husband after blaming him for reporting them.
In response, the Bel community, which includes a large number of people from ward one (town area) and several of the major islands close to town, staged the protest rally to air their grievances.
They claimed that a run-down home belonging to the businessman, opposite the post office, was a haven for prostitution and gambling.
They said it was a haven for street vendors and pick-pockets and that illegal shacks springing up around the town’s fringes should be pulled down.
The people called for an alcohol ban to be enforced during the festive season and outsiders doing business in Madang to respect locals and the immediate removal of shoe and street vendors.
Sam Aloy, a community leader who organised the rally, told the crowd that because of the lack of police manpower the onus was on members of each community to start community policing.
In response, provincial police commander Anthony Wagambie Jnr said numerous calls for additional manpower had been ignored and it was now time to reintroduce the community policing concept in villages.
He assured the crowd that those involved in illegal activities would be arrested.
North Ambenob ward one councillor Bill Koi suggested that the provincial government look into setting up proper markets for mothers selling food at the fish markets and that the governor seriously look at setting up a security service utilising youths from the Bel area to look after the town.