By Mike Puia
Gizo
THE Western province will proceed and impose a ban on plastic starting in July.
While the provincial government is having an issue with the drafting of a policy paper (white paper), provincial secretary, Jeffery Wickham, confirmed there is no turning back for the province.
Wickham has admitted the government has yet to secure a sponsor to fund the drafting of the white paper.
The white paper is important as it will provide detail guideline on how the proposed ban will be implemented like how retail shops will be dealt with, what are the penalties, what type of plastics the ban will apply to and so forth.
Wickham said the provincial government has approved the ban but there is no draft white paper as yet.
The reason mentioned is the fact the province has no legal advisor.
Wickham said the Temporary Special Measure (TSM) the government had also pursued was lucky that the UN Women comes along and sponsor it.
Currently, work on the TSM is about 80 percent done.
The provincial secretary appealed to non-government organisations in the province to utilise their links and help the province get its white paper on the plastic ban done.
Wickham said the detail guideline of this ban will be delayed but the awareness on this ban should go ahead.
He also encouraged NOGs to help influence the people they work closely with to refuse to use plastic.
