Secretary for National Department of Health Dr Osborne Liko has applauded the East New Britain Province for setting a standard for markets in the country. He said most markets in PNG are operating without functional organizational structures, and management, necessary resources and infrastructure and facilities. “Market place must first have an organization which allows basic controls to be implemented, particularly as they relate to safety requirements for specific foods being offered for sale and handling practices associated with them.” “Municipal health authorities, therefore, have an important position in that structure.’’ Dr. Liko said, without this, marketplace poses health risks and provide an unpleasant and unfriendly atmosphere which trigger in antisocial behavior such as harassment and intimidation thus affecting overall productivity of that place. “People are protected from health risk and engage in healthy market activities only if market is safe, hygienic and properly regulated.” ”There is an urgent need for improvement in all markets in the country to enable notable differences for healthy market activities.’’ Dr Liko thanked the East New Britain leadership in politics and administration for coming up with an authority to manage the markets which is another model from the healthy marketplace that ENB is trailblazing for the rest of the markets in PNG. “If we follow the East New Britain Market Authority, markets will become good places for people to use.’’ Dr Liko also applauded the market managers from other provinces that attended the event and also for attending the training for market managers, held few days ahead of the declaration of the Kokopo Market as a model market in PNG. Healthy Marketplace is one of the components of the Healthy Island concept embraced by PNG and all other Pacific Island country Ministers for Health on Yanuca Island, Fiji, in 1995. He assured that the Department of Health recognizes the important role Healthy Island has played and can contribute to current health indicators and has included it as a significant policy direction in the National Health Plan 2020- 2030. “The Key Result Area 1 & 2 of the National Health Plan has positioned Healthy Island Concept as the key strategy to drive the health promotion, prevention and protection programs across the country.’