Parkop wants to licence spray paint to reduce graffiti

THE sale of spray paints in cans in Port Moresby will be controlled by the National Capital District Commission to fight an increase of graffiti in the city, says NCD Governor Powes Parkop.
In launching a campaign against it in the city on Sunday, Parkop said graffiti defaced properties and the image of the city.
Parkop said he would submit proposed laws to the NCDC board to control and regulate the sale of spray paint. “We will see to ban the sale of small spray cans in retail outlets and restrict its sale to licensed premises and holders,” Parkop said.
“Genuine graphic artists and other legitimate users will have to have licence to buy.
“We will also improve surveillance to catch the perpetrators, who strike mainly in the night, by installing CCTV cameras.
“We will also be asking some residents to change their fence so as to deprive these pests the opportunity to ply their nuisance.
“Thousands of kina in taxpayers’ money have been wasted to counter it.”
Parkop said the city’s anti-graffiti taskforce was established to help Minister for Lands and Physical Planning and Apec Justin Tkatchenko.
The campaign also included a painting of the governor showing how graffiti can be used as an art to beautify the city.
Members of the taskforce assured the commission that they had a solution to rid the practice in the city.
Crowd drawn by the active city development programme’s Walk and Yoga for Life provides a forum to do awareness for action on many development issues affecting both the city and the country, Parkop said.
The programme will promote the World Environment Day.