11 May 2012

PNG police to remove street vendors

8:33 am on 11 May 2012

The police commander in the Papua New Guinea capital, Assistant Commissioner Francis Tokura, has issued an order for police to remove street vendors the the city's streets.

Mr Tokura issued the directive on Wednesday, saying street vending in Port Moresby is both a safety and crime issue.

He says the vendors are at risk and their presence on the road sides provides opportunities for crimes such as car jacking to take place.

The informal business sector, characterised by people selling everything from cigarettes to betelnuts to shoe repairs, constitutes the bulk of the PNG economy.