NCDC: Title requests for market suspicious

 By TAUNA GEORGE 
THE National Capital District Commission has explained reasons why it cancelled an agreement with the Central provincial administration for the use of the land at Boroko market.
According to city manager Leslie Alu, they became suspicious of the motives of the administration due to constant requests for the transfer of the title to them (administration) for the land where the market is.
Alu said the initial agreement was that the land, specifically the market, be given to the administration on a temporary basis to cater for vendors from Central due to constant harassment in city markets.
The agreement was reached in 2011 between the NCDC board and the Central administration under the then Governor Alphonse Moroi.
“The administration was too slow in developing the land while insisting that we transfer the title to them,” Alu said.
“We became suspicious that if the title was given to them, they may use it (land) for business purposes other than what was agreed on.”
The market, although fully renovated by the NCDC and handed over to the Central administration, was never used.
Alu said they had played their part in good faith by giving the market  purposely for use by the Central people but somehow they had to make a tough stand and reclaim the land.
Alu said they were planning to open the market to accommodate vendors from Gordon Market, who would move over when maintenance was completed.
Meanwhile, Central administrator Gei Raga, who took office after the arrangement was made, said there were been discussions between the administration and the four Central MPs for possible allocation of land within the city for Central vendors.