Eoe: Policies need to be updated regularly

POLICIES need to be reviewed from time to time because of changes in society, Minister for Youth, Religion and Community Development Soroi Eoe says.
Eoe was addressing a workshop for churches, non-government organisations and the private sector in Port Moresby on the review of the department’s policy.
“We must take into consideration socio-economic scenarios which affect the country. We must refer back to the reality of today’s society,” he said.
“If the people in the local community and rural areas are being impacted, then we are achieving something.”
The policy is a rights-based approach through which people candevelop their communities.
“Most of our people have not seen any government services reaching them, they have lost interest in government, and their view is that whatever comes, let it come,” Eoe said.
He said this had resulted in the lack of participation and discussion by people in rural areas.
“They find it difficult to engage in discussions. So we find lots of young people grouping together to engage in bad behaviors such as the consumption of drugs, homebrew and wasting time just sitting and talking politics that has no meaning,” he said.
“The challenge is what if I bring in services like road, airports, schools? Are these people ready to engage themselves in those economic and social changes that can help them? Maybe there is a two lane highway right up to the village. Are these people going to be engaged?
“So really people are still lost in terms of their attitudes the government’s failure in delivering services.”