Massive costs of cleaning Port Moresby

THE National Capital District Commission has been spending a massive K4 million every year on cleaning waste and filth caused by people’s irresponsibility and lack of appreciation for their city.
Of this, close to K840, 000 has gone into the clean up of waste, stains and rubbish in public places, bus stops, shopping frontage and mini markets alone.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop mentioned this last month when he revealed the financial burden the NCDC has been bearing every year to rid Port Moresby of its never-ceasing litter.
“Every year NCDC spends over K4million on cleaning our filth and collecting our waste,” he said.
Breaking it down, Mr Parkop said every month, the city authority spends these monies on cleaning and collecting the following type of waste in the city:
- K79,925.00 on cleaning city markets, totaling K 959,100.00 per year;
- K52,308.75 on cleaning settlement waste (even though many do not pay our garbage rate), totaling K627,705 per year;
- K26,640 on collecting school waste, totaling K319,680 per year;
- K85,458.00 on domestic waste collection, totaling K1,025,495.00 every year;
- K16,650.00 on sanitary/septic waste collection in settlements and some parts of our city, totaling K199,800 per year;
- K46,295.88 on commercial and industrial waste collection, making it K555,550.56 every year;
- K10,656.00 on collection of medical waste, bringing the total to K127,872 per year; and
- K42, 360 on operating Baruni Dump, totaling K508, 320 every year.
“These monies could be spent on better things for our city and our people such as schools, clinics, streets lights, upgrading and sealing of roads, better parks and gardens, recreational and sporting facilities and better markets,” said the Governor.
Mr Parkop was replying to critics of the buai ban who said it was not worthwhile to ban betel nut.
But the Governor said the benefits of the campaign were immense and far outweighed the practice of selling buai in public places.
“Most of these wastes in pubic places are caused by betel nut vendors and their clients and plastics from shopping and sealing on manufactured goods,” said Mr Parkop.
“The choice is therefore clear for our people to make.
“If we take responsibility for our action, we can drastically reduce the amount of money the Commission spends on cleaning up our filth and rubbish and use this money for other useful purpose to benefit our city and its people.
“Since, our people have failed to live up to this sense of responsibility, NCDC as the municipal government of our City must compel our people to take responsibility for their action.
“This is one of the main reasons the Commission has banned the sale of betel nuts in public places.
“If our people want a better future for our country and our children, it is these little things that we need to solve before we solve the bigger challenges and problems,” he said.