The new Madang Town Market must be given to Madang Urban Local Level Government (MULLG) to manage while awaiting the set up of Bell Development Corporation.
Bell community leader Hood Kassas said this when commenting on the current argument over the ownership of the market by MULLG and Madang District Development Authority.
Kassas, while commending local MP Nixon Duban for his brave speech on the occasion of the opening of the market on July 1, challenging the government to recognise and involve Bell people in the market said people from Bell which comprised of the seven islands (Villages) of Madang are the landowners of Madang town and the Government has neglected them since the beginning.
“Bell people are still living like spectators on their land having no businesses in Madang town, at the same time living in the same village lifestyle,”
“The Provincial Government, and Madang District is not very supportive and providing avenues that will enable locals to get involved in business activities at the same time adjust their lifestyle,” Kassas said.
He said Bell has a government arm which is the Bell Authority and Business Arm called Cell Development Corporation but the government has bypassed them and are not supporting them to grow and be independent.
Kassas said the way forward is for the Government to let MULLG manage the market while the government should focus on reviving and get the Bell Authority and Bell Development Corporation on the ground.
“When the two Bell structure are organised than the Government will ask MULLG to hand over the market to them to manage and run,”
“Otherwise the Government can give fish market to Bell Development Corporation to manage and run while the main market is given to MULLG,”
He said the Bell Development Corporation must start small and if the Government sees they are fit and ready to manage the entire market than whole market should be given to them.
Kassas added that Bell people must be fairly represented and at all cost must be respected should there be any development coming into Madang they should be given first priority to have a say and share in it through their government and business arm.
He said to date they are not recognised by the very government they voted in at the same time they are left out in any decisions making which is not good and must be condemned.
Kassas said the Provincial Government along with Madang District must resolve and let MULLG manage the market for time being.