Police burn squatters’ houses at Lareva

By JACOB POK
TEMPORARY houses built by vendors at the Hohola Lareva market in Port Moresby were burnt down last Friday by police.
The police acted on the orders of the National Capital District Commission to evict the vendors who built the houses in the market premises and carrying out illegal activities such as selling alcohol, drugs and harassing women.
The police, with the help of the NCDC city rangers, went to the market and burnt down the houses and stalls from which they sold their goods.
Market vendor Law Kameso thanked the police for burning down the houses because it was a market place and the squatters had wrongfully built homes within the market premises.
But he said reports that they were selling alcohol, drugs and harassing women were not true.
“We only look after the market and we do not sell alcohol and drugs or harass women,” he said.
He said the market was set up by NCD Governor Powes Parkop and they only guarded it at nights because many vendors left their goods at the stalls overnight.
Kameso pointed out that the market lacked proper toilet facilities and water source which made life difficult for the vendors daily.
He called on Parkop to provide the toilet and fresh water facilities for the vendors.