Youth group visits inmates

The National Youth Development Authority (NYDA) is looking at ways to educate juveniles in prisons, an official says.
NYDA senior education officer Lawrence Tau said this on Wednesday during a visit to the juvenile quarters of Bomana prison, outside Port Moresby, with representatives of Mixed Martial Arts Papua New Guinea (MMA PNG).
“NYDA is in a partnership with MMA PNG because we have an ongoing programme with juveniles in the prisons,” Tau said.
He said the office was looking at education programmes to help juveniles.
“When we get juveniles educated and give them something meaningful in life, they would have a better perspective of what to do in the future,” he said.
Jamie Pang, a leading martial artist and trainer with MMA PNG who visited the prison with Tau, said he was proud of the partnership.
Pang told the inmates that they were in prison because of the wrong decisions and choices they had  made.
“You chose to take drugs and to steal, your parents did not tell you, even if they told you, you have the choice to say no,” Pang said.
“I want to say that you should choose sports before you choose crime, and education is also important.”