Betelnut ban checks along the main highways in Central Province have been lifted for entry into the National Capital District while NCDC strategizes on the implementation of the K500 spot fine fee on the general public.
NCDC earlier this month officially announced a partnership with NCDC Police to enforce the law on Buai Ban and to deal with people chewing betelnut in public places in the city.
Deputy City Manager Honk Kiap says the misconception that general public thinks that city hall is trying to ban betelnut completely is not true and that chewing is not the problem but it the way the chewers dispose of their betel nut rubbish and spittle.
“NCDC has now changed its focus from the sellers to those who are chewing and are not properly disposing their rubbish in the right place,” Kiap says.
From the roadblocks that had been put up in the past, authorities have realized that it was affecting the livelihood of people who sold betel nuts to make ends meet.
“Overtime, we have tried to weigh out the consequences of the and NCDC has come up with changes that we think is caused by chewers in the city which also gives reason for us to change our target from the sellers to the chewers for the K500 spot fine fee to imposed on,” says Kiap.
He adds that the general public should chew with some responsibility and care and not to throw the betel nut remnants in public places like office fronts, shop fronts, bus stops to name a few.
“Now that road checks along the highways have been removed, betel nut can be brought in for selling but that will only be allowed in specific points and areas in the city and since we have an agreement with the NCDC police, Metropolitan Superintendent Ben Turi has assured us that this implementation program will be carried out effectively in public places in the city,” Kiap says.
Random road checks will be done on a daily basis in and around the city especially at main bus stops (PMV’s and taxis), shop fronts and office fronts.