Vendors warned to follow rules

NORTHERN administrator Trevor Magei has warned betel nut traders in the province to comply with the coronavirus (Covid-19) public health protocols.
He issued the warning at a meeting with traders, village councillors, law and order chairman, members of the fire service, awareness teams and the Northern disaster office at the Independence Oval last weekend.
Magei urged traders to ensure that their interactions with communities were done in a manner that did not help spread the virus in the communities.
He said part of the instruction was to ensure all vehicles used by buyers had sanitisers, wore masks and the number of passengers must be fewer than four.
“Awareness teams are moving around and will ensure these measures are being enforced by all traders,” Magei said.
“This includes dinghies operating between Morobe and Northern, vehicles operating between our sea point of entry and into communities that sell betel nut.
“Rural communities must also exercise these measures to minimise the risk of being infected.”
Magei stressed that the betel nut trade was booming in the informal sector and regulating this industry by getting all stakeholders to comply to such instructions was important.