Police reluctant to enforce betel nut ban

The National Main Stories

POLICE in the National Capital District and Central are reluctant to enforce the betel nut ban because they want more awareness to be conducted first, an official says.
National Capital District (NCD) and Central police commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Anthony Wagambie Jnr, said although police supported the effort by City Hall to keep the capital city clean, they wanted to see more awareness conducted first.
“More awareness through mainstream and social media is very important,” he said.
He said police needed to be “well prepared” to help in effecting arrests of betel nut traders.
“At this point in time, we are not. I have communicated this to NCDC that we need to have a consultative approach to this,” ACP Wagambie said.
He said restrictions to some of the state of emergency rules had greatly affected the people.
“The enforcement of the buai ban has also brought about a lot of distrust towards police by members of the public,” he said.
“I have a duty to protect the integrity of the NCD/Central command and police force as a whole,” he said.
“The SOE had slowed down some of our plans in improving policing in this command. We are commencing now.”
He said the NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Perou N’Dranou had started rehabilitation training for the NCD Fox units and would continue with other sections and stations in Port Moresby and Central.
“The state of emergency had also made us aware of areas of policing which need improvement,” he said. “To police a buai ban is not as easy as it seems. We want NCDC, as the municipal authority, to take the lead – but to be done in consultation with police for better understanding by the community.

21 comments

  • That’s a comprehensive way of thinking. Think before act. Good Job Mr. Wagambie.

  • Betel nut ban is not a very serious and offensive law and order problem. Police swore an oath to protect the Constitution of the country and it’s people.

    • Commissioner Wagambie must also warn the rouge police officers not to harass the innocent public and involve in other illegal and corrupt practices because these few bad ones are damaging the good name and reputation of the Royal PNG Constabulary and other good, hard working police officers.

  • I agree with ACP Wagambie, more consultative approach to this buai band agenda by NCDC before engaging police to chase around innocent citizens who are trying to ma e a living.

  • Practical, smart and strategic response… He knows his job and knows how to get it done! He will make a good police commissioner!

  • Tax, relgulate, commercialise the damn nuts. It’s causing problems at all levels.

  • Buai is here to stay, no matter how you try to stop it will still find it’s way in. We hear highlanders dying by drowning in brown river in the name of buai. That should tell you something.
    Putting a blanket ban will not stop it, policing will, not over night but gradually it will. It takes time to adapt.
    But for sure our city is filth with buai stains and rubbish, attitudes needs to be changed.

  • Exactly! More awareness to be made . Good strategy. It will work. Education is the key. Maybe sign them up for personal development opportunities too, introduce them to churches, the word of God, introduce another better means. Theres hundreds of ways. Forcing or chasing buai sellers is really not solving a problem. This group of people just need to be made aware of the terrible effect and the difference it can do to self and community if they stop. Based On humanity grounds. They may respond well. All the best

  • Let only the buai growers, sellers and chewers comment on the basis of their selling, buying or chewing experiences.

  • We are told mobiles and social media are responsible for all sorts of problems because there are some many people using them especially on social media.
    Now the commentators on here are suggesting that is not true and they want more ‘Consultation’
    Olsem wanem? Husat I tok tru na husat I tok gaman?

    Best suggestion to control buai is classify it as a mild drug saleable only by registered/ licensed retailers. Atleast that would raise a little income for the Health Department to cover the costs of treating buai addicts especially in the frightening late stages of mouth cancer.

    Finally while the top-cop may be right in his ideas he is not allowed to decide which law he and his colleagues will enforce.

  • Arthur William, Yu Giaman. Can you contribute with a constructive suggestion to help educating this attitude problem buai sellers? The Top-Cop is initiating very sensible and a good strategic approach, so please don’t make a very narrow minded judgement here…….
    Wagambie Jnr, you successfully implemented law and order programs in Madang and Lae, so keep up the good approach. CONGRATUALATIONS.

  • Junior Wagambie is only outstanding candidate for PNG ROYAL POLICE Commissioner Post.Let him be the commissioner now.Get someone who doesn’t perform to the best of our knowledge and promote him to the high rank is corruption and is so call WANTOK system.Wagambie is only qualify person in the team to take the post.His actions speak so he will be our next commissioner.

  • My thoughts on the BUAI issue in our beautiful country most people refer to as Paradise. First of all, I am a non Buai chewer and obviously we all know that the rubbish and filth created by Buai is disgusting and that I believe the chewers will agree with me. One thing for sure which I want everyone from the Prime Minister down to the ordinary citizens to understand is this; BUAI is here to STAY. To cut the story short, we need to amend and tighten our litter laws and effectively enforce at all costs by imposing spot fines to those who litter in public places. This amended anti litter Law will take care of all the other forms of littering in public places. Also, I agree with ACP Wagabie on the path were we need to carryout awareness. Lets stop this non-sence of cat and mouse game which is costing our peoples lives including Police officers and Buai Vendors. Finally, believe it or not BUAI is a cash crop for our coastal people just like coffee and tea in the highlands. Lets all unite and systematically correct this Buai issue so we all live in harmony.

  • BUAI IS NOT A GOOD LIFE AND IS A LAZY WAY OF EARNING AN INCOME.JUST BAN FOR LIFE BECAUSE SO MANY RUBBISH AND DONT CARE ATTITUDES IN THE CITY.PLEASE YU FILIM PEN LO CITI JUST GO HOME NA WOKIM GARDEN AND LEAVE MY CITY CLEAN.

  • Shallow minded people will always come up with cheap and shallow thoughts. lets be critical when sharing our thoughts in such forums. A win-win for everybody, no offence.

    Remember, we are not talking and concerned about just one city. We are concerned about all the other public space around the country for public good.

    lets think broad.

  • As it is common knowledge whether we like it or not, buai is here to stay and had been since beginning of time. Many attempts to ban this commodity have not succeeded and as we all know have caused so many lives and money both from vendors and also authorities to fund such operations. Yet betel still find its way into NCD thru ‘illegal’ risky means both by traders and corrupt authority personnels so how can it be successful this time?

    The betel nut growers, unemployed and lower income earners, mostly squatters depend on this commodity for primary or secondary income for daily survival needs and also support their children’s education, customary obligation and other things they need.
    So instead of imposing a total blanket ban, let’s consider a different approach to tackle this problem of health risk in spreading communicable diseases such as Covid-19, TB within the community thru spitting in general and in public areas and the chewers filthy habit in disposing buai spittle & skin.

    Issue license to wholesale buai vendors to trade only at several designated markets around the city so proper tax can be collected. No illegal public space vending of betel nuts to remain enforced. Private premises to allow trading only with valid licence that must be displayed clearly at the premises. These residential vendors are responsible to maintain hygiene and cleanliness around their stalls otherwise their license is revoked and they face normal littering fine.
    Impose heavy fines or imprisonment with hard labor on deliberate littering in public including betelnut waste (spit & skin) disposal.
    Make public awareness over a period of time before effecting the new regulations.
    Build separate holding facilities (like tent city) for men and women offenders and make them clean up the city, drainage systems etc everyday while being detained.
    K10,000 fine and 3 years imprisonment as penalty hopefully should really make people become more responsible. Same penalties should apply to non-licensed buai vendors and those selling in public places.

  • Let the Government of the day do decisions which will bring safety to our citizens from COVID 19. Let us not become another USA in png were thousands lost their life from that virus. WILL BUAI SAVE OUR LIFE???
    Life is more than money.

    Ban it for now and later restore to normal once coronavirus is over.

  • Buai is no longer a subsistence crop, it is a cash crop. Most of the people are surviving on selling betelnuts. No one will ever stop it. But policing it will help but as one said, not overnight.
    Just look how many cars, trucks. buses, houses, etc are bought with the marketing of betelnut.

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