New centres planned for districts to help people

By PETER ESILA
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill and three of his ministers are keen to work with the Department for Community Development and Religion to develop centres to empower people in their districts.
O’Neill’s Ialibu-Pangia district, Richard Maru’s Yangoru-Saussia, Jelta Wong’s Gazelle and Soroi Eoe’s Kikori districts are to set up the first centres.
Under the department’s integrated community development policy (ICDP), a Community Protection and Empowerment Centre is to provide separate programmes for children, youths, women and men, the elderly and persons living with disability in partnership with agencies.
Minister for Youth, Religion and Community Development Eoe said his Kikori district would be the guinea pig to implement the government policy.
“I am going to be the guinea pig to see how the government policies can apply to all those sectors that we are talking about – youth, women, disabilities, gender-based violence, church partnership, church in education and health – addressing the same issues that we are addressing.”