Youths: We need a place to live, food

 A youth leader in Lae City has called on local MP Loujaya Kouza, Lord Mayor Koim Trilu Leahy and the Morobe provincial law and order office to help youths in the city.

Willie Mayang, a youth leader from the Las Block Mangi settlement, in the notorious Back Road area, made the call following the surrender of another 20 youths from the area last week.

The youths have joined 47 others who surrendered to authorities in December.

Mayang said employment opportunities, financial assistance, a proper place to live, food and clothing were among immediate needs for the youths.

“We want this surrender to have a chain-reaction so that youths in other settlements too can surrender,” he said.

“We do not want them to surrender and then return to their bad ways.

“Their spiritual and physical needs must be met.” 

Mayang said a boys’ dormitory was needed because they were housed in makeshift tents at Munum, outside Lae.

“Twenty of the boys wanted to continue their education so they have been brought back into settlement to do that,” he said.

Mayang said the community was catering for the youths and any assistance from government bodies and business houses would be appreciated.

He said most of the youths came from broken homes and had no one to support them.

Leahy had last year said t his office was ready to work with youths in the city but they must have registered groups to be given small contracts and other jobs to do to sustain themselves.

He said youths who had the potential to continue their studies would be pulled off the streets and helped to continue their education.