Author: Govt must create jobs

By JACOB POK
PAPUA New Guinea should now focus on creating more job opportunities for youths to reduce poverty and law and order problems, an author says.
Arnold Leo, author of the book The Art of Living for PNG Youths said it was important for the government to encourage employment to ensure citizens, especially youths, earn a living.
This would cut down the amount of money spent on maintaining law and order.
“The education system produces thousands of school leavers each year and as the number of unemployed youths and adults increases, it often forces youths to resort to illegal activities,” he said.
“The government, concerned developmental stakeholders, education system, provincial and local level governments, churches and community leaders must wake up and see the real needs of the youths,” Leo said.
Youths who dropped out from secondary school and those who failed courses in universities found it hard to secure jobs because job requirements in the country were only for degree holders with adequate work experience.
“I think the government should look into this issue as I believe this is the only source of law and order problems as youths go out of their way and do illegal things to survive,” he said.
The lack of job opportunities contributed to the high level of poverty in the country.
“There seems to be an unfair system where the rich get richer while the poor get poorer,’’ Leo said.
The cycle could be broken by creating more employment opportunities for the bulk of the unemployed youths, whether it was in the formal or informal sector.