NCD to step up ban enforcement

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

NCDC is to step up effort to enforce the betelnut ban in the city with the commissioning of 30 more reserve policeman for the NCDC Reserve Police Unit.

This was revealed yesterday by the Buai Ban Controller and the Deputy City Manager for NCD, Honk Kiap.

Mr Kiap along with the Governor for NCD Powes Parkop dispelled reports by the media that the commission had slackened off the ban saying that they were still monitoring and enforcing.

He attributed some of the lapses in enforcement to the lack of manpower, which will be addressed with more reservists aimed to pass out to the reserve force.

“People think that they are beating us but we are learning their tricks, and it is just a matter of time before they get caught and fined,” Kiap said.

“With the difficulties currently face by our police force in fighting crime along with the ban, the reservists will concentrate on the buai selling hot spot as static policemen.”

He said that they would not hesitate to impound vehicles that bring in betelnuts- with fines of up to K1,000 and K500 for those caught chewing in public.

The Deputy Manager added that the arm of the law was long, and that eventually people will be caught and charged, if not prosecuted all the same.

Governor Parkop added that the enforcement was being upgraded out to sea, with some boats ferrying the nut via the coast already confiscated along with their betelnuts.

“I want to remind everyone that the goal of the ban is still maintained,” Parkop said.

“And I want to give credit to the majority of the city’s residents who have kept the habit in the privacy of their residences.”

He made reference to the changes that have occurred in other Asian countries where chewing is customary.

“If you look at our neighbors in Asia it is part of their culture to chew, and over there today chewers are a minority.”

“This is what we are aiming for our people here in NCD to be self regulatory and eventually over the generations we will all do away with it.”

He reiterated that he was not against chewing, but against the indiscriminate spitting in public, and emphasized that as long as the vendor and chewers change, he would do so, only on the condition the nut returns regulated and licensed.