Transcript
POWES PARKOP: Of course we have not been a hundred percent successful in stopping the sale of betel nut. We are in fact allowing betel nut to come back to the city in a controlled way, in a selected market as I speak. Our city is much better now as a result of the ban on the sale of betelnut than it was before the ban. And I say this, although we paid a high price in terms of financial, some people are regrettably losing their lives because they tried to smuggle but the city's much better because it's much cleaner, people's habit and behaviour has changed in terms of spitting everywhere and the image of the city is much better.
We are improving people's hygene. People are more conscious about their health now than they were before the ban. Cancer relating to betel nut chewing will decrease; I hope that will be an outcome that we will benefit from in the near future.
For me, I did not promise an overnight sensational success. I know this is a journey, I know this involves human behaviour and habits. All habits, especially centuries old habits, die hard. Chewing of betel nut is at the core of PNG's culture and foundation of their existence.
DOMINIC GODFREY: That cultural link you were talking about, is that why you've allowed it to be brought back?
PP: One of our local districts, they wanted to trial allowing betel nut to come back into their area, this is Moresby South, so they can try to control it and educate people there. So once one of our constituency has started doing that we thought that we will also allow other parts of the city, not everywhere but we have three districts in the city, to allow partial opening of betel nut sales to come back under strict control.
That they be managed, not necessarily licensed, but with private partners who can manage and control the negative impact of betel nut sale and chewing. Over and above that, we have made the point known, especially to vendors and producers, and now it's time to focus on the chewers, those who cause a lot of problems for us.
DG: So what are those main problems that you say you have with them?
PP: The sale and chewing of betelnut, and spittle everywhere, was not just developing an ugly, unhealthy, unhygenic habit but it's also promoting bad virtues and bad standards. This is the ultimate objective of this ban and why we are putting a lot of restriction on this particular cultural icon, that it was not just about image and about health, it was also about values and virtues that are important to enable our people to have a better quality of life into the future.
Powes Parkop says a fine of 500-Kina, or equivalent community work, will be enforced on those who ignore the ban.
