Quest entrants speak about current issues

By DULCIE OREKE
RED Cross Miss PNG Quest entrants chose topics close to people’s hearts yesterday and spoke about PNG’s current issues – man-made disasters – rather than natural tragedies.
The five young women presented a topic from the main theme about the country’s readiness in the event of emergencies in
Port Moresby.
The topics included how PNG was prepared to end violence against women, how PNG could prepare to reduce waterborne disease through proper water supply and sanitation, whether the country was prepared to reduce the high infant mortality rate and whether we were ready if education was affordable to everyone.
Miss NCDC Yaom Judith Buseng recommended that people worked according to objectives under the National Health Plan 2011-20 to improve maternal health.
Speaking at the Institute of Business Studies at the 6-Mile campus, she said statistics showed that infant mortality rate was 57 deaths out of every 1,000 live births. She said that remained highly unacceptable.
Miss NACES Philoanne Minou said alcohol, drug and marijuana were the main contributing factors to domestic violence.
She said that should not be promoted as it brought about fear, conflict and destroyed family life.
Miss OTAC (Office of Tourism, Arts and Culture) Tessa Biribudo said the traditional formal subjects designed to develop literacy, numeric and problem-solving skills and basic education should include topics on disaster preparedness.
She said this promoted awareness in schools and rural settings that had been affected by disasters.