Common sense must prevail when initiating the restriction of betel nut sales in public places in Port Moresby.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop said this when commenting on Wednesday’s incident involving tear gas affecting children at a school during a police operation targeting betel nut vendors.
“For starters, this is not a war on betelnut. It is meant to be a controlled exercise, starting in Boroko to keep our suburbs clean and healthy. We have not even started at Hohola, where the regrettable incident took plac,” Mr Parkop said.
“When a controlled operation is taking place, it suggests that there is a ban to prevent the sale of betel nut in major public places. Cooperation and common sense of all parties involved, police, vendors, chewers and general public is necessary to make this exercise successful. Wholesale and retail markets have been identified and there are more venues coming up for vendors to use to sell betel nuts.
“We have a strategy in place and we have not given direction to regular police to implement that strategy yet.
“I am asking the new NCD city manager Bernard Kipit to make it a high priority to meet with the NCD Police Metropolitan Commander, so that NCDC’s strategy regarding the control of the partial buai ban is fully understood.”