Duma calls for attitude change

GETTING hooked on poker machines, beer and drugs can destroy our young society from  achieving a brighter future, Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma, who is Hagen MP, said.
Speaking last Saturday at a church opening at Kogmul village, outside Mt Hagen, he said.
The multi-billion-kina PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project was taking shape and people should distance themselves from bad habits and face new challenges that lay ahead.
Duma said that if people did not change their ways, they would be dominated by these social issues for the rest of their lives.
He said that Western Highlanders must respect others especially outsiders  who  loved   Western Highlands and wanted to spend their time, money and even their lives in the province.
Duma said Mt Hagen was centrally located and urged the people to try and make it become a safe place for the other people to live in and do business successfully.
He said Mt Hagen had good roads, airport, top-class hotels and entertainment facilities and it was up to Western Highlanders to make visitors and would-be residents feel welcome when they came to town to spend their money and time helping the province.
Duma said resource-rich landowners from Southern Highlands and Enga were bypassing
Mt Hagen and heading to Port Moresby to spend their royalty cash because they regard the former as an unsafe city.
He said that people from the project areas  were  to be respected because these people play part in developing the province.
“How can we sell our vehicles, hotels, guest house to others when we do not change our behaviours and attitudes?” Duma said.