Poverty stricken youth turn to criminal activities to merely survive
The Baruni Dump area in the National Capital District is home to hundreds of people who live in extreme poverty.
These individuals construct their homes using materials discarded at the dump site and often rely on expired food from businesses and shops to survive.
Unfortunately, this dire situation has led to various health risks, including malnutrition and other health issues that impact their well-being and growth.
The level of poverty in the area has also resulted in an increase in criminal activities, such as armed robbery and holdups.
This has made the public road unsafe, particularly during the evenings and nights, causing concern for the safety of those driving or stopping by in that part of the city.
Central Governor Rufina Peter highlighted a recent incident where armed individuals attempted to attack a medical officer's residence but were foiled by a brave police officer who was shot in the process.
“According to the reports from ACP NCD and Central, Peter Guiness the criminals used the high-powered gun which almost ended the life of the officer and called on the communities to bring culprits to the police.
“It is alleged that after the incident, police officers and villagers of the victim retaliated in the early morning on 5th June and the effect was devastating,” Governor Peter said.
Homes, both belonging to criminals and innocent people, were engulfed in flames, leaving individuals with no place to go except for makeshift shelters.
The Central Provincial government, along with the police and media, visited the site on Sunday to provide assistance in the form of canvas for shelter and food rations.
ACP Guiness called on the community to bring culprits to the police before they work on their end with the Central government to address the issue and assess if destruction occurred.
Governor Peter expressed that these criminal activities have been ongoing for some time and the leaders of NCD and Central should now work for a long-term solution for them.
She said though they are people of Central province they reside within the heart of NCD. They cannot be chased away but instead, work on a solution.
“These people are Papua New Guineans and let's look at settling them properly. The armed robbery and attack happening every time in that area is the result of the extreme level of poverty they go through. If we don’t come up with a solution now, these practices will continue to rise.
“The actions of a few will continue to affect the majority of the population living here like what happened on 5th of June. If there is vacant land we can relocate these people, we must do it now, they are our people,” she added.