The governor of Papua New Guinea's national capital district is planning a nation-wide scheme to get idle youth off the streets.
Powes Parkop, the governor of Papua New Guinea's National Capital District. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
Powes Parkop said of about 5000 people leaving Port Moresby schools each year the vast majority ended up with nothing to do.
He said these people were a liability for the city and for the country.
Mr Parkop said through his scheme these young people could spend time involved in activities giving them basic training and work skills.
"Some can serve in the military or the police or some go to serve as volunteers or doing community work, looking after the elderly, working with people with disability - being community servants in other words. I tried to look at some models in Germany, they have that type of model and I am trying to visit Singapore to have a look at their model."
Powes Parkop said an earlier programme he started called the Urban Youth Employment Project had worked well and he envisaged something similar but on a much bigger scale, operating across PNG.
