Maprik expected to get proper market facilities

Business

MAPRIK in East Sepik is expected to have proper market facilities soon after final negotiations and appropriate funding is allocated.
According to district development authority acting chief executive officer Joshua Himina, the market would be a smaller version of the K30 million Gordon market in Port Moresby.
Gordon market boasts a two-storey building with about 800,000 square metres of market space, administration and ablution blocks, a rubbish disposal area and improved drainage.
Himina, who recently met with representatives from the United Nations Women and Australian High Commission, said Maprik town market’s plan had to be altered given the availability of land and number of vendors.
Himina said the Government had already allocated K5 million, while K200,000 from the district was previously spent for logistics and scoping.
He said there were also ongoing negotiations with other interested governmental bodies.
These includes the National Fisheries Authority and National Planning for potential allocation of funding.
Himina said the market would also cater for the street vendors, especially the vanilla and gold buyers.