Mt Hagen needs to clean up streets

EARLIER this year, Mt Hagen city was commissioned by the Prime Minister to mark a new era for the city in terms of urban expansion and infrastructural development.
However, it is an eye sore to see rubbish piling up everywhere in our once beautiful city.
We, the public servants, church groups and NGO groups have voluntarily taken the initiative of cleaning up the city earlier this year which seem to be a waste of effort and time.
The worst scenario is to see highly educated individuals littering while cleaned up by the town authorities or concerned citizens.
The city authorities and workers have ceased performing their duties to maintain cleanliness and city beautification.
Consequently, informal markets and street selling of buai and smoke are slowly being erected at all corners of the city which has directly contributed to the rubbish everywhere.
Mt Hagen city is a small place compared to Port Moresby and as such, it can easily be managed if this issue is taken seriously.
It is now time for all stakeholders (provincial government, business houses and citizens) to put aside our differences and call up a major clean up once and for all.
The authorities are also urged to put in place rubbish drums every 20 meters and set fines for people caught littering.
The law enforcers have worked tirelessly to curb and eradicate street vendors but they need cooperation and understanding from the general public.
Let us once again call up a major cleanup campaign for our city.

Nicholas Nick
Mt Hagen