Mayor welcomes group’s initiative

 By FREDRICK JEJERI

LAE Lord Mayor Koim Trilu Leahy has welcomed the initiative of a group of women who are sewing bags to replace the plastic bags used for shopping.

The Tent City Tailoring and Handcraft Association in Lae will show what the members have produced to the Morobe provincial government. 

Leahy said his office was supporting the ban on plastic bags effective from this month and welcomed the option the women had come up with.

“I really appreciate the initiative and I have to sit down with the association executives to properly screen, discuss and give feedback on requirements to drive the programme,” he said. 

The women plan to show their products to the departments next Thursday. 

Community programme coordinator Mary Tremani said they were currently using cotton fiber as a temporary measure and would import the right material from overseas.

“We have 10 established local tailoring and handcraft women operating as informal businesses in the area who are keen to back the Government’s call on banning plastic shopping bags,” she said.