Praise for provinces’ move to weed out ‘root of social issues’

YOUTH, Religion and Community Development Minister Soroi Eoe has commended two provinces for wanting to ban gambling.
Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu said his government would ban poker machines while East New Britain administrator and chief liquor licensing commissioner Wilson Matava said activities such as housie and bingo would be banned for a year in his province.
Both governments said the activities had contributed significantly to increasing social and family problems.
“The stance that the governor for Eastern Highlands and the East New Britain government took is very important because if we are to address the root causes of social problems, this is one of them,” Eoe said.
“You’ll find that fathers after work at the pokies on weekdays or weekends and pokies are associated with drinking as well.
“Gambling is affecting our population and the minds of our young men and women.
“I also urge other provincial governments to also look at this.”
Eoe said it was a brave move by the two provinces because gaming houses generated revenue for them.
“But we are not limited by resources, we have vast resources – agricultural, marine, natural, mineral resources,” he said.
“It is a matter of redirecting, prioritising and developing those resources from which we can generate revenue.
“Of course, in other parts of the world, pokies and gambling is a major revenue generator and create a lot of jobs and it is something that we need to look at it.
“There are things that we need to let go because they are contributing to social problems.”