The Governor of Papua New Guinea's capital says the ban on public sale and consumption of betelnut will continue to be enforced by police reservists.
Powes Parkop Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
EMTV reports that Powes Parkop maintains the National Capital District Commission's police reserve unit is still required to enforce the buai ban despite Police Commissioner Geoffery Vaki's order to dissolve the unit.
Mr Vaki's order followed public outrage over last month's death of two local betel nut vendors allegedly shot by police when they fired into a crowd.
However Governor Parkop says the unit has not been formally disbanded and shouldn't be blamed for ongoing police brutality and assaults, or the Hanuabada killings.
"There's one or two incidents that probably gave a bad image to the reserve police. But we shouldn't lose sight of the great achievement they've done in helping us to police the buai ban, and also deal with petty crimes, and we've also been having to police the busstops as well."
