A sigh of relief from fish vendors

Fish vendors from villages along the coast and on the islands around Port Moresby thankfully watched as the new Koki Fish Market was launched yesterday.

Vendor Gia Puri said they had waited for so long to sell their fish in a well organised market facility so this is now their pride.

The K10m facility features ample parking space, a jetty and 90 stalls, toilet facilities, an ice-making machine, four floating pontoons and fuel vending facilities.

Puri, on behalf of the fishermen and fish vendors, thanked the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop and Moresby South MP, Justin Tkatchenko, for establishing the market.

Puri comes from Fisherman Island to sell her fish at the Koki main market every morning after her husband goes out fishing overnight.

She explained that the new market will help cut down on her expenses.

“When we sold our fish at the main Koki market, we paid a lot of fees for table charges of up to K15 to K20 per day.

“This was very expensive for us because we also had to pay for fuel for traveling to and from the Island so we made little profit.

“Even ice was expensive but now with the new fish market, it provides ice for us and we don’t have to pay a high amount of fees,” she said.

The happy vendor, however, called on the market’s management to provide platforms for vendors to sit and sell their fish, instead of standing the whole day.

Author: 
Quintina Naime