Boy’s tale stirs interest

 THERE was overwhelming interest from the public yesterday following our story on Paul Eddie, the boy who missed the boat from Lae to Popondetta and is now living with a family in Labu Tale Village, near Lae.

Labu Tale man Gwayawe Cornelius took Paul to his home and has taken care of him with his two children for the past four months. 

He said he was bombarded with phone calls from people who read the story in The National yesterday.

The calls came from Port Moresby, Lae, Western Highlands, East New Britain and West New Britain. 

Most of the callers offered to adopt the boy and asked Cornelius to release him to them.

Of all the callers, one woman identified herself as an aunt of Paul and talked to him on the phone. 

She has made arrangement to meet with Cornelius today in Lae.

“Some of the callers sympathised with the boy and others wanted to adopt him, a Tolai woman and a Western Highlands mother named Jennifer asked to adopt Paul with the Tolai lady offering to check on their progress at the end of the month,” Cornelius said.

“A man from Kimbe offered to check with his contacts with the disaster and emergency services at Popondetta and get his contacts to locate the boy’s parents.

 Another caller, a pastor, offered to pray for the boy’s safe home.