Nali denies claim of wrecking bridge

THE Southern Highlands liquor licensing commissioner has denied media reports claiming that he is responsible for the damage done to a bridge along the Mendi-Tambul road.
Commissioner Lones Nali said the report carried in another newspaper last week was da­maging to his reputation and the measures initiated recently to enforce a liquor ban in Southern Highlands and neighbouring Hela.
“The Mendi-Tambul road runs through my land and the bridge being referred to as being damaged is on my land.
“I do not know who removed the iron bars on the bridge. In fact, the Mendi-Tambul road has not been in use for the past 15 to 20 years.
“No maintenance has been carried out on this section of the highway and, for the bridge, it was build during the colonial era and still remains that way,” Nali said.
“The report claiming that I had removed the iron bars to stop liquor smuggling is not true.
“What community leader and landowner Ponege Sugal said in The National last week was spot-on.
“People who are involved in such illegal activities are using the media to tarnish our re­putation.”
 and spoil the good work we are doing.
“But, let it be known that we will not deviate from our goal of enforcing the liquor ban in Southern Highlands.
“To address these untruths, I am seeking legal redress against the newspaper and those people spreading lies.”

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