Newspapers in PNG can reduce sports gambling among young people

 Gambling in many countries is often thought of as a form of entertainment, characterized by betting or wagering something valuable or financial such as money (WHO, 2024). The furthest I have delved into gambling may have been playing Bingo when I was in the village over the Christmas holidays. But believe me when I say that gambling has risen in Papua New Guinea especially among vulnerable groups such as young people (ABC Pacific, 2023).

Casino gambling came into the scene through the passing by PNG Parliament of the Gaming Control Bill 2007 that allows casinos and internet gambling in PNG (Rayel et al., 2016). Over the years, as internet became easily accessible, Papua New Guineans began to take up online gambling with some ordinary punters loosing up to K1000 (US$300) in a year on Australian National Rugby League betting application NRL 365 (ABC Pacific, 2023). In Australia, around 80,000 to 160,000 Australians experience problem or addictive gambling which includes a range of negative social outcomes such as criminality, housing instability, relationship problems, financial difficulties such as indebtedness, and domestic violence (Miller et al., 2014). This might be happening in PNG too though there is little research being done on this. In Australia, younger men are most at risk of falling into gambling because they are more exposed to sports betting normalisation processes such advertising during NRL games on TV or on social media platforms during sports updates (Seal et al., 2022).

Young people who are not careful can loose their hard earned cash to online gambling

However, the media can be an avenue to call out addictive gambling especially newspapers which can help vulnerable groups such as young people. Firstly, Miller et al, noted that newspapers should frame stories around gambling by including the voices of problem gamblers. While these problem gamblers might be reluctant to share their stories, at least the story begins the debate around reducing the addictive nature of gambling. Journalists have a responsibility to reduce gambling in our communities by finding problem gamblers or reformed gamblers and doing their stories. Secondly, another way to tackle problem gambling is to combat it with advertising. There is already evidence that advertising leads to increased risk of gambling (McGrane et al., 2023) so newspapers must turn this around by using advertisements to reduce addictive gambling patterns by providing strategies such as setting personal limits on betting (ABC Pacific, 2023). Who will foot the advertising bill? Miller et al (2014), pointed out that there must be collaboration between the media and health organizations to develop ways to financially back advertising against gambling.

Newspapers can be a used by public health organisations to reduce gambling among young people

So personally, I believe that if you have never tried online gambling, do not try it as it can become addictive and lead to social and health problems for you down the line. Even if you already began sports betting, seek to set a limit for bets or never bet more than you can lose. The PNG Government must also see this as a rising problem and find ways to address this before many more social and health problems arise.

 

References

ABC Pacific. (2023). Online sports betting is on the rise in Papua New Guinea, but experts warn of risks associated with gambling. https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/png-gambling/102006846

McGrane, E., Wardle, H., Clowes, M., Blank, L., Pryce, R., Field, M., Sharpe, C., & Goyder, E. (2023). What is the evidence that advertising policies could have an impact on gambling-related harms? A systematic umbrella review of the literature. Public Health, 215, 124–130. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2022.11.019

Miller, H. E., Thomas, S. L., Robinson, P., & Daube, M. (2014). How the causes, consequences and solutions for problem gambling are reported in Australian newspapers: A qualitative content analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 38(6), 529–535. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12251

Rayel, J., Manohar, P., Atu, I., & Raka, R. (2016). Gambling Tourism in PNG- A Grace or a Curse?: Implications of the Proposed Casino Gambling as Perceived by the Community. https://devpolicy.org/Events/2016/PNG-Update/4c_Rayel.pdf

Seal, E., Cardak, B. A., Nicholson, M., Donaldson, A., O’Halloran, P., Randle, E., & Staley, K. (2022). The Gambling Behaviour and Attitudes to Sports Betting of Sports Fans. In Journal of Gambling Studies (Vol. 38, Issue 4). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-021-10101-7

WHO. (2024). Addictive Behaiours: Overview. Addictive Behaviours. https://www.who.int/health-topics/addictive-behaviour#tab=tab_1

 

Amazing Pero Pero

Madang has some really good places to visit if you are looking for a getaway.  

I recently took my children for a tip to a rural guest house on Karkar Island in Madang. You have to travel for about an hour out of Madang town until you reach Megiar village. Then you can get on a boat and travel for another hour on a speed boat to get to Kuburne village. 

On arrival, you will see that the guest house is located in the village setting but the owners have moved a bit to the edge of the village and set up their lovely guest house. The guest house, set in the lovely Kuburne village, has two bungalows which are well made and comfortable. The interior of the two houses are done well - you have polised wooden floors, comfortable chairs, proper solar lighting, running water for bathrooms and toilets.  

The meals prepared by the owners were great and we loved the lemonade made in glasses with straws. We had fruits, eggs, buns, fish, fried chicken during meals and my kids enjoyed it. 

You can watch the full video of our trip on YouTube: Amazing Pero Pero

See you there!

Rempi Youtube #madang #Madang #explore #papuanewguinea

The PNG PM at 49 in 1985

 Today, as I was going through some old newspapers, I came across the picture of one of Papua New Guinea's great leaders - Mr. Micheal Somare. He was the first PNG prime minister and one of the founding leaders of PNG's independence journey.

What took be aback from this picture was of how young he looked when he turned 49. 

The picture appeared on the front page of the Post Courier on Tuesday, April 9th, 1985. 

 

A loss for Manus

Ah sore...Dr. Gabriel Kulwaum...a loss for Manus! He did his PhD at the University of Queensland with his thesis titled 'Problems of devolution in Papua New Guinea education' in 1995. I remember when I was in high school at ECOM, he was a dedicated school Board Chairman.

One day he came to school and found that the students in one class were making a lot of noise and he went in to investigate. He found that the teacher had just left to find buai/smoke at the nearly village. Dr. Kulwaum quickly took his vehicle, went to the village and literally chased the teacher back to the classroom.
When students faced disciplinary actions during weekends he would interrupt the school assembly on Monday morning and lecture the whole student body: 'hamaspla haus yu buildim pinis na yu laik marit? Hamaspla kanu yu sapim pinis na yu laik wokim family? Hamas spia botol yu stretim pinis na yu laik pait? Hamaspla saman blo kanu yu pasim pinis na yu tok yu man?'

I salute you for the fact that you impacted the lives of Manusians for so long in so many areas of their social and cultural wellbeing. My sincere condolences to his family.

Oh sumatin laif....

Oh sumatin laif!!..Taim yu stap sumatin lo high school or secondary school or college or university, nogat man bai luksave long yu. Sampla taim bai yu nogat soap, towel, bedsheet or matress. Yu bai struggle igo inap yu pinism skul blong yu. Na taim yu holim wok olgeta man bai kam na tok 'Oh that's my son' or 'That's my daughter right there'.....oh PNG, yumi sa win tru yah!...lol

Domestic Violence in PNG

 So many women are dying and have died of domestic violence in this country. Those who are posting on social media, please keep on posting and talking about it so that this issue becomes part of our everyday discussion. Too many times, it is ignored and kept out of public discussion.

I believe domestic violence is a systematic problem nationwide and therefore needs a systematic approach towards solving or reducing the problem and this needs to start at the top - political leaders. Political leaders as a group, wield great power including the political will to change something in their favour. If we have the political will to win, create and bankroll the South Pacific Games and the APEC meetings, then why cant we for something that matters to our loved ones? Our hauslain? This 100% male parliament is not even close to hearing the cries of women. We need more women political leaders who, as a group, can change the momentum on the fight against domestic violence. This cannot happen in one go but over a number of years.

Come on women, 2022 is the year for change. Stand up, be counted and vote women into parliament! Imagine if 50% of parliament were women! Maski long votim ol man bikos nogat senis kamap na ol meri dai yet. Imagine the countless women who are in rural areas of PNG who face life like what this young lady went through everyday. We need a systematic change where relevant government agencies are adequately funded, legal systems and protocols for perpetrators are fasttracked, safe houses become the norm, hotlines are toll free, training for law enforcement, etc.

This fight needs political will to kickstart it. We have signed petitions, international conventions, ran campaigns etc. Inap! Sanapim wanpla meri lo komuniti blo yu, votim em lo 2022 na em bai go na rausim ol tambaran lo displa haus yah! Na yupla ol meri, inap lo votim ol man!! Displa pasin we igat 20 candidate na wanpla meri, maski votim ol man! Even if you dont like her, just block vote na yumi salim displa meri go lo Waigani! We need more firebrand Josephine Abaijahs and straight-shooting Carol Kidus! Come on, let us vote for change in 2022!