Youths call for unity in fight against crime

MADANG youth leaders are calling on the community to join hands in the fight against crime.
More than 50 leaders said in a signed statement that all youths were categorised as bad but many were law-abiding citizens who wanted law and order to prevail in the province.
They said they were ashamed and outraged by the recent rape and assault of an innocent and prominent citizen of Madang province by a minority group of youths.
“We are angry that the name of the youths has again been tarnished by a minority group and we do not condone rape, violence and illegal activities,” the youth leaders said.
However, they claimed that the breakdown in law and order was a result of corruption within the Government system and the failure of the public servants to deliver basic services to the people.
The leaders urged their six MPs to work closely with youths through the different district and provincial youth councils.
They said the private sector organisations working in isolation were also a contributing factor to the problems.
The youths are now involved with the police through the provincial government’s community policing programme in addressing law and order issues in the province.
They would then be involved in the community neighbourhood watch, a crime prevention strategy initiated by the provincial government to engage young people to perform activities like protecting lives and properties, and providing surveillances and intelligence report to the police.