In the last two or three weeks we have seen the ugly side of our country come to the fore again here in our Capital City.
Ethnic conflict in Morata resulted in at least one death. A week later a senseless killing too at Hohola as a result of what appears to be an accident caused by driving under influence of liquor. A retaliatory attack resulted in 10 houses being burnt down and more life shattered and traumatized forever.
The most sacred gift of life has no value in our country. We can take away this most valuable gift by the flimsiest excuse or reasons and show no remorse or regret.
We torture women and burn them on stakes without any guilt or hesitation as if they mere pigs or animals. We can burn a plane and public assets like court houses, class rooms and other state or public buildings without regard for its value and consequence on the community and the nation as a whole.
In Port Moresby too despite our effort and all the public funds we have spent, betel nut spitting, litter or rubbish, graffiti and violence, fear or harassment continues to be a big challenge in our City and indeed the rest of the country.
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| Governor Powes Parkop |
Yes, corruption is a problem and a major impediment to national advancement but corruption is but a result of low and poor value system. It is a symptom and not a cause. Corruption has taken root in our country because we all practice it and do not see anything dramatically wrong with it.
With many high mountains, valleys, rivers, wetlands, islands and atolls, geography is a major challenge to the progress of our nation too.
Building infrastructure such as roads and bridges for our people to access services and markets is indeed a major challenge in this type of topography. No doubt this will remain a major challenge but these are challenges we can easily overcome if we care and spend our financial resources efficiently.
We have shown in Port Moresby that we can build world class infrastructure but how we care and use these infrastructure too will make a big difference. Sadly however, we continue to destroy without appreciating the value of these infrastructures to our collective convenience and well being.
Our diversity as a nation of a thousand tribe with their own languages, customs, practices and norms, is also a challenge.
Blending everyone together as one people and one nation as we sing in our national anthem and recite our national pledge is not easy but we have survived 43 years so if we subscribe to higher values and virtues like respect for each other, choosing peaceful ways of solving disputes and loving each other as fellow human beings we can overcome this challenge.
Corruption, geography and diversity all have their challenges but the biggest problem or challenge we have and need to overcome as a people and a nation is our low value system.
We tend to think and act mainly from our survival instinct not from a higher value system. Many of our decisions and actions are based on what we can get now and not what we can do for the the greater good of all. Be it politics, resource development, allocation of funding, appointment of officials or employees and the list goes on.
Japan is hardly a resource rich country. In fact it is resource poor. The same can be said of Singapore and South Korea. Yet these three countries can provide quality life style, high standards of living and build a strong economy for their people.
The Japanese way is possible simply because they have a strong foundation that are based on strong work ethics, respect, appreciation, good value system and serving for the greater good of their people and their country.
We are a nation blessed with so much resource and therefore our potential should increase. We can be a greater city and a greater nation if we all lift our values and mindset and start to respect and take responsibility for our lives, our city and our country better.
Getting our people to develop and embrace high values and virtues is not easy. These impoverished mindset have been instilled generation after generations. So it is not easy to replace them with an alternative positive value system. Telling our people to take action is even harder!
It is for this reason that we have programs like the Active City Development Program. A program that is simple but smart. It uses non-competitive sports and easily accessible physical activity to take our people on a journey of physical, mental and emotional change. Its is a program that gives our people real tools to develop self respect, respect for others and taking personal responsibility for their lives, well being.
When we improve physical fitness we also grow our mental and emotional capacities. When we change the people’s health, well being, behaviour and mindset, then we will have healthier more positive people in our city then they will change our city and our country.
The Active City Development Program is an investment in the human capital development without which the infrastructure and economic development we are witnessing in the city and around the country will not amount to much.
These and other programs we have like Urban Youth Employment Program, TVET, sports investment, improving markets space and setting up the Secretariat to support the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee and their work are all designed directly and indirectly to overcome this biggest impediment of our City and our country.
Change starts with each and everyone one of us being the change we want for our city and our country.
We can build a greater city and a greater nation. It’s not the world that we have to overcome. It’s ourselves that we have to overcome to arrive at that greatness. Let’s take that journey Port Moresby so that PNG can become greater than it is today.
Lead the change in your life, your family, your community, your city and your country!
