Youths hope clean-a-thon will raise community awareness

YOUTHS in Morobe have taken a new approach to raise community awareness against deep sea tailing placement (DSTP) through a proposed waste disposal method for the Wafi-Golpu mine project.
Their “Lae youth clean-a-thon with a message” is an action-oriented awareness drive that brings together youth for a clean-up as a way of expressing responsibility to protect the environment.
About 100 youths assembled on Saturday for a big clean-up of Lae town to raise a message strongly against the proposed DSTP into the Huon Peninsula by the Wafi-Golpu Joint-Venture (WGJV).
Yengka Bethony, a Lutheran youth leader, said the awareness would encourage more discussions on this non-environmental friendly method.
“The Wafi-Golpu special mining lease is expected to be issued by next month,” he said.
“The proposed timeline of the Wafi-Golpu negotiation process is drawing near and the pressure is now high.”
Another youth leader, Awacnganu Geamuki, of Yalu village, referred to incidences with other existing mines in the country.
“After September, it will be like crying over spilt milk,” he said.
“We do not want to end up like Basamuk and we start talking only after we experienced a spillage.”
This is the third LYC with a message drive, and, so far, the event brought together youths from the Ahi villages, locals within Lae suburbs and youths from the United, Catholic and Anglican churches and the Lae Bicycle club.
Each group contributed resources towards the clean-a-thon, including fuel for dump trucks, pick-up drop-off transport, light refreshments, garbage bags, sanitary gloves, hand sanitisers and facemasks.
The next clean-a-thon is planned for Saturday.
For more information search this hash tag on Facebook #MorobeNoToDSTP or #LukautimMorobe.