Youths clean Mt Hagen

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
YOUTHS from Kenta village outside Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, took it upon themselves to go into the city and clean up.
The youths, who participate in the Kuk Raira off-season rugby league competition sponsored by chairman of the Hagen Kona Kai concept, councillor David Maip, made their way into the city quietly and collected rubbish starting at 7am and finishing two hours later.
Group leader and coach of Klampi Knights Paul Kuriti said they did not want money or anything in return for cleaning the city, adding that they were showing their appreciation to sponsor Hagen Kona Kai, who had given the league K10,000.
He said it did not matter how far they lived because as Western Highlanders, they were proud of their city and had voluntarily come out to clean it as part of their contribution to the cleanliness of the city.
Kuriti said if other youths living near or within the city did not want to do it and went ahead selling betelnuts and littering the city, they were happy to come in and clean up.
Maip, who was also the chairman of provincial law and order, commended the youths for their initiative.
He said the off-season league he sponsored was all about changing the attitude of the youths to stay away from illegal activities and contribute meaningfully to the developments in their community, adding that he was happy that some youths were taking ownership of the city by travelling in on PMV buses to clean up the city.
City manager Victor Megao also commended the youths.