National Court order halts second-hand trade

THE popular second-hand shopping outlet for Port Moresby dwellers – Yakalilin – has been closed since Monday following a court order by National Court judge Justice Ambeng Kandakasi.
In compliance with the court order issued last Friday, market manager Allan Yaku closed the market temporarily on Monday.
An urgent meeting, which was to be attended by National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop, the plaintiffs and the defendants, to discuss the issue on Monday did not eventuate due to short notice.
The complainants and defendants are all secondhand vendors.
The reason for the legal action apparently relates to the issue of “space”.
According to Mr Yaku, although the plaintiffs were given adequate space to trade at the market, they refused to do so.
Their demands included moving into the already-made shelters built by previous vendors or for NCDC to build new sheds for them.
“At the moment, one shed can cater up to four vendors. There are more than 80 sellers who have been ordered to stop trading because 12 plaintiffs have complained that there is not enough space for them to trade – this is unfair,” Mr Yaku said. It is not clear when business will resume.