Selling betel nut is lazy work: Kipit

By Jason Dom
PORT Moresby city manager Bernard Kipit says selling betel nuts is a “lazy way of earning an income”.
He said people were doing that because they were “afraid of doing some real work”.
“Nothing good comes out of betel nuts, all it produces is rubbish, dirt and mouth cancer. There is plenty of land for people to utilise farming of food crops and bring them to market,” Kipit said.
The National Capital District Commission is using the buai ban policy in the city to regulate selling at public places and advise vendors to sell at designated markets.
He said vendors could sell produce as well at those markets.
“We are not building markets for this (buai) purposes only, you can sell other produces like vegetables, fish with other food crops as wel,” Kipit said.
Kipit said the campaign to clear the city roads, streets, public spaces and office fronts of vending and selling was ongoing. “Vendors are asked to return to markets otherwise they will be penalised and that includes spot fines and community service.”
“We are advising vendors to sell at their own territories, like at their homes but not in public places such as office fronts, bus stops and shops.
“If you sell betel nuts at your own place, it is your responsibility because you own it, you control it and you can clean it.”
“If the city gets filthy with buai stains, the blame will come back to me, not you.