Manam islanders call for school fees help

Manam Island leaders made a special request to the Madang government last week to consider school fees for their children this year.
The request was made when they received news that K6 million was given by the national government to manage their affairs.
Kenny Boli, Iabu local level government president representing hundreds of Manam people living on the volcanic island and in care centres, said many people returned to the island to work on their copra to pay school fees for their children.
Boli said recent continuous volcanic activities had destroyed coconut trees and people’s means of earning an income.
He said Baliau and Dugulava people were sent back to the island because they had disputes with landowners from Bogia.
People from other villages returned to the island to make gardens and copra because they cannot do that in care centres.
“Land at the care centres belong other people,’ Boli said.
“The coconuts also belong to them.
“We can’t touch their coconuts or make gardens on their land because if we do, we fight.”
Boli said the only option left was for Government and extended family to assist them with school fees for their children.
A worried ward councillor Paul Maburau said his daughter was accepted at a teachers’ college and he was asked to pay K6000 which he could not afford.
He was one of those people who struggled to have their children complete secondary school while living on the island.
“This is the golden chance for one of my children to go to college and get a decent job and lift some burden off me,” Maburu said.
“I’m so sad I can’t give that opportunity to my daughter, because we have been living with this disaster since she was born and raised.”