Youths thank govt

By SALLY TIWARI
NATIONAL Youth Commissioner Johnson Hebe has commended the national government for increasing its budget from K2 million last year to K8 million this year.
He said this was one of the highest funding the commission had ever received.
Hebe said the budget allocation showed the O’Neill government’s belief in youths as the future leaders of the country.
He said the commission’s priority this year would be to establish a youth-friendly centre as a conduit for conducting development activities.
Hebe said youth issues to be addressed through this centre included:
l The establishment of the national, provincial and district youth councils network;
l Drug, alcohol abuse and HIV/AIDS awareness and rehabilitation;
l Vocational skills training, and employment for youths; andl Teenage pregnancy and youth suicide.
Hebe thanked Minister for Community Development Andrew Mald and former minister Dame Carol Kidu for their support for youth development in PNG.