Authorities on Manus Island say delays in resettling asylum seekers is leading to social unrest, including marijuana dealing, excessive drinking and prostitution.

Police and the island's local government said the temporary placement of about 50 refugees on the island was causing problems because there was no timeline for their permanent resettlement elsewhere in Papua New Guinea.

"Once they don't know how long they will be here on Manus for, they tend to misbehave," Manus governor Charlie Benjamin said.

"There are times when they go out in the night and are getting drunk. They also exchange with marijuana."

Mr Benjamin said some temporarily resettled refugees were also paying local women for sex.

"Prostitution is coming in and I myself am not happy with this type of attitude," he said.

The men live in brand-new, Australian-funded accommodation on the edge of Manus Island's only real town, Lorengau.

They are ostensibly now PNG residents, but they are not able to work and are subject to a 6:00am to 6:00pm curfew.

They are also unable to leave the island.

Iranian refugee Mohamed Rasan said the situation had left him feeling disempowered and hopeless.

"Manus Island is like a prison for me," he said.

"Here, I don't have any future, just living for today. I don't know what happens tomorrow."

PNG government 'lying' about resettlements

One refugee who tried to leave, engineer Reza Mollagholipour, was stopped before he could board a flight to Port Moresby to attend job interviews.

In a letter from PNG's chief migration officer, Mr Mollagholipour was told he was being "asked" to stay for his own benefit while PNG established a refugee resettlement policy.

That was eight months ago.

The PNG government said it is still working on its resettlement policy.

"They were liar with us," Mr Mollagholipour said.

"Really, I proved that. They were really liars to us. They told us that after three months [there would be a policy] but there is nothing changed."

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Mr Mollagholipour said he was trying to stay positive and had started studying physics.

He said his situation was depressing.

"Our accommodation is nice, I'm sure about that it is higher level than local people who surrounded us," he said.

"But I still feel like I'm still living in detention, but our detention is just this island."

The disempowerment and lack of resettlement prospects are leading to incidents between some of the refugees and local authorities.

In one, an Afghan refugee was involved in a violent confrontation with other transit centre residents, and then the local police.

Both local authorities and refugees themselves say the resettlement process needs to finalised soon, or the tension will lead to conflict with Manus Island residents.

"Maybe for a limited time we haven't had any problem," Mr Mollagholipour said.

"I'm sure if our process will take time we will have problem. I'm sure about that."