No street vending in NCD for two weeks says SOE Controller Donald Yamasombi

Street vendors will be hit hard for the next two weeks as SOE Controller Donald Yamasombi this [Saturday] afternoon announced the ban on street sales, one of five emergency measures in effect and to be implemented by joint security forces in the nation' s capital.

There are five emergency orders; Public gathering, Stop, search and seize, Sale and consumption of alcohol, goods and services price and Curfew.

The exception of public gatherings has been allowed to only church groups and haus krais (mourning house) while the order is stern on not allowing any street sales. The groupings of people in shop fronts will also not be allowed with the police and army given the power to disperse any crowd buildup and including groups of people being transported in a motor vehicle.

Thorough body checks will also be done on anyone found to be acting in a suspicious manner and if found with items deemed as a threat to the state of emergency will have them confiscated and forfeit to the state unless it is not dangerous and would be returned to the person. The order clearly states, when conducting a body search, the police or PNGDF will take necessary measures to ensure the rights of a person is not deprived.

Pubs, nightclubs and hotels are only allowed to sell alcohol within the designated times of 10:00am to 10:00pm at night and any other person/s found selling alcohol without a license apart from retail outlets will have their stock removed.

Mr Yamasombi says the consumption of alcohol in public places is not allowed and this includes drinking in a moving vehicle.

All service providers have been urged through the emergency order not to vary their prices on goods and services but to maintain them at a stable price, the Independent Consumer Competition Commission [ICCC] given the task to ensure compliance.

The emergency orders by the SOE controller are specifically to return the confidence and trust to the people and for order to be restored in the city.

The emergency orders came into effect on Friday 12th January 2024 and will stay in effect to the 26th of January 2024. During this period no curfew will be imposed.

This follows the civil unrest on Wednesday 10th of January where major retail shops and smaller trade stores were ransacked and set on fire by opportunists who took advantage of the strike by policemen over their pay cut due to a tax error.