Traffic operations begin

By SIMON KESLEP
DWU journalism student
TRAFFIC law enforcement operation will start from Monday and continue until Jan 25, the land transport division enforcement operation manager, Herman Wakia said.
Wakia said the operation was held annually to ensure transport operators abided by the Motor Traffic Act and its regulations.
He said the operation for this year’s Christmas and New Year festive season was “Safety starts with you”.
“We will make sure that every motorist, taxi driver, bus driver and passengers abide by the rules and regulations that we enforce
under the act,” Wakia said.
The operation will include the three electorates of Port Moresby Northeast, Port Moresby South and Port Moresby Northwest.
He said other stakeholders involved
|in the operation
were police and
community-based transport inspectors.
Wakia said there would be a briefing today for all the stakeholders to be aware of their roles and responsibilities when the operation started on Monday.
“We have been mandated by the government to make sure that traffic safety and regulation is followed by everyone,” he said.
“Unregistered vehicles and checking of vehicles suspected of transporting drugs, alcohol and weapons will be part of the operation.”
“Taxi drivers without meters will be charged and locked behind bars as they were only stealing from the public whereas others try their best to follow the proper traffic regulations and requirements.
“Most of the time betel nut stains, shopping plastics, empty drink cans fill the road so we must stop this don’t care attitude,”
Wakia said.
The operation was approved and authorised by acting secretary and superintendent of motor traffic, John Belly Kelly Kaio.