26 Dec 2018

PNG chief warns of rise in social problems at care centres

4:58 pm on 26 December 2018

A tribal leader in Papua New Guinea has warned of the rise in social problems at care centres on Bogia with many young people turning to drugs and alcohol.

Chief Paul Maburau, of Dugulaba Village on Manam Island, has blamed the PNG government over the delay in resettling the islanders since the volcanic eruption on the island in 2004.

Mr Maburau, who lives at the centre with his family, said people are struggling to feed their children and the govt needs to find land to resettle them.

"Back at the island, we are not used to any like drugs and alcohol abuse. This is social problem that the people, that we are facing because most of our young children now, they use to taking drugs, they use to going out with homebrew alcohol that is made at the village level that they can afford," he said.

Mr Maburau said the govt allocated US$922,000 US dollars (3 million kina) for the Manam resettlement programme but nothing has been done.