Call for roadside vege vendors in Bougainville

2:56 pm on 8 May 2020

A community leader in central Bougainville is hoping the Covid-19 restrictions can be eased to allow people to sell vegetables on the roadside.

Roadside food vendors, Kieta, Bougainville.

Roadside food vendors, Kieta, Bougainville. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Johnny Blades

The controller of the Bougainville State of Emergency, the police chief Francis Tokura, this week tightened restrictions on street sales in the bigger towns.

Traditional market places in central public spaces have been shut down.

But New Dawn FM reported the former chair of the Central Bougainville Combined Council of Elders saying the sale of fresh food and vegetables must be allowed at smaller, side markets.

John Dona said these types of markets won't attract big crowds.

Mr Dona said since the State of Emergency was put in place in late March, many people had relied on rice and tinned fish for food, leaving vegetables out of their daily diets because they had been denied access.