Koki gets a new lease on life

By MALUM NALU

The historic, but now infamous Koki Market in Port Moresby, is set to get a new lease on life, thanks to NCD police and Moresby South MP, Justin Tkatchenko.

A new cop shop has been set up at Koki, once the city’s leading market in bygone days, but now notorious for murders, rapes, armed hold-ups, marijuana, home brew, prostitution, and all manner of vice.

The market will also be completely revamped over the next two years.

NCD police metropolitan commander, Andy Bawa, and Tkatchenko on Tuesday introduced their plans to clean up the market to residents, vendors, and the general public at Koki.

Badili police commander Bill Werake, Tkatchenko, and Bawa inspect the new cop shop at Koki on Tuesday.-Picture by MALUM NALU

“In the next couple of days, we will open up the police cop shop, where there will be a permanent presence of police and volunteers to ensure the safety of people here in the market and the civilians that are using it,” Tkatchenko said.

“The market is a disgrace, absolute disgrace.

“The NCDC waste management and market divisions should be ashamed of themselves that you are selling your goods in a very unhygienic and unhealthy market.

“There’s no proper water, no proper toilets, but things are going to change.

“I have a four-year plan for this market that will change the way we see this market in the future.

“I want Koki to be completely redone in the next two years for the benefit of all of you.”

Bawa said Koki Market had a lot of history and should be respected by the young people.

“You, the residents of Koki, have to take ownership,” he said.

“Development will come but we must make sure that the law and order problem in Koki goes down.

“Koki is a historical market.

“We have to respect our market.

“When law and order problems go down, you will see expatriate men and women, people from other suburbs, come to our market.

“They will come with money.”