Namah: Provide alternatives

 OPPOSITION leader Belden Namah has challenged National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop to find alternatives for people dependent on betel nut sale.

Namah said at a press conference that harassment of people trying to make ends meet was unacceptable although he admitted that uncontrolled littering was a concern.

“I call on the governor to come up with alternatives for the little people to make money,” he said. 

“Betel nut is a million kina business for little people to make ends meet. 

“Stopping them and harassing them without an alternative source of income is unacceptable.

“I agree with the littering that he is concerned about but there are ways of addressing that – and not by harassing them.”

He said the betel nut ban was likely to cause an upsurge in criminal activities in the city as people looked for ways to sustain their lives.

He urged Parkop to build a good market and provide alternatives for the people so that poverty, unemployment and other social issues were addressed rather than looking at the littering issue from just one angle.

He said the welfare of the people were important and should be addressed without violence.