Vendors reject Wewak market

THE state-of-the-art Wewak’s Laura Martin market and fish market  boast about having modern facilities.
However, the public seem to reject this market.
Why is it that the vendors, especially the women, are reluctant to make use this market which was officially opened by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare on Jan 17?
It was a gift to us from the Japanese government and people with counterpart funding from the National Fisheries Authority.
Is it because of the bad planning or some of the user-pay policies imposed on vendors by the Wewak Town Authority, or it is just not appealing to the vendors?
There are other markets in Wewak where the dissatisfied vendors could go – Kreer, Dagua and Sandaun – to sell their produce.
For whatever reason, it may be the vendors must not be forced to enter the new market at the barrel of a gun like it happened once at Vanimo market last year.

Resident
Wewak