Vendors bug Maprik legitimate business

 By SHIRLEY MAULUDU

THE sale of household items including consumer goods on the streets of Maprik town, East Sepik, is becoming a concern for legitimate business houses, trader Yaliwi Nongi said. 

He said that while it was encouraging to see local people engaged in small business, there should be rules put in place so that certain vendors were restriced to selling items on the streets. 

“It is unfair on our part as we are registered businesses while others who have no business registrations are trading openly on the streets.

“They are selling goods that we are selling in our shops such as salt, tinned fish and rice. 

“They have neither registered their businesses nor paid any form of taxes.”

Nongi said regulations should be enforced so that there was fair competition among people who were engaged in legitimate activities.

He said he was also concerned about the high costs of operating his business. 

“Electricity is too costly for us small business people … the cost is extremely high compared with other countries,” he said. 

“The telecommunication service, which should be provided by Telikom, is not being present … this has forced us to resort to costlier means of communication.”

He said compensation demands were becoming quite common as they travel to and from Wewak to get their supplies.

“We are usually stopped along the highway and are asked to pay for our passage … this happens when people work on the road that needed maintenance,” Nongi added. 

He said this was an extra burden on  their business.