 |
Ensure needs of people first
I REFER to the screaming front-page headline on Jan 3
(MPs seek more pay). I am a student who has had my share of problems with
fees. Right now, I am working like a dog to meet my school fees for this
academic year. My mum is a teacher but her K300 or so salary is not enough
to cater for the tertiary fees for me and my three brothers. On numerous
occasions, teachers around the country have gone on strike to fight for a
pay rise. I assume, while campaigning, many of our MPs have seen for
themselves the conditions of schools, health services and roads. Have you
ensured that the needs of the people who gave you the mandate have been
taken care of before asking for a pay rise? Have you fulfilled all the
promises you made during your campaign? What about the teachers whose
hard-earned salaries are heavily taxed? Your call for pay rise is nothing
but sheer greed. – Simple ufanist, via email
MPs’ demands illogical
I DO not see the logic behind the MPs’ cry for more pay. I think those that
deserve pay increase are public servants, community school teachers,
vocational teachers and tertiary institution teachers. According to the law
of economy, the rate of consumption should and must always balance the rate
of production. In simple terms, this means for every kina you want to
consume in a day, you should be able to produce a kina in a day also. In the
case of our MPs, I think most of you hardly produce a kina’s worth in your
five-year term with the exception the few hardworking MPs. – Bush
economist, Lae
Telikom lacks competency
I REFER to the letter “Telikom doing fine” by “Always there” (Jan 7). Whilst
the writer has the right to comment, it cannot go unchallenged. It is not
about how long Telikom has been in existence or the 2,000 or more employees
it employs. It is about competency and the effect of monopoly on ordinary
Papua New Guineans. You are wrong to say some writers are making stupid and
senseless comments about Telikom. It is obvious that Telikom is incompetent.
Can’t you see for yourself the numerous complaints from customers all over
the nation about Telikom’s poor services? Among them are the long waiting
time for installation of telephones, repairing our landlines and the high
cost of calls and other services? What we want is competency. – Yanukobu,
via email
Hide ID service abused
DIGICEL needs to review its hide ID service. People are abusing this
service. Recently, a young girl complained about receiving a sexually
oriented phone call from a hidden caller. The girl was 13-years-old. I also
received such a call where an unidentifiable caller was moaning and
breathing heavily. I believe Digicel should review this service and remove
it. Removing it would also make users accountable for the calls they make. –
Bensco, Port Moresby
Terminate errant cops
I REFER to the report “Senior cop in hot water” (Jan 9). I would like to air
my frustration over the attitude of this officer and some of his colleagues
for bullying and discharging a firearm in public. I hope the Police
Commissioner Gary Baki takes action against those involved. If the Police
Force is serious about its public image, which has eroded over the years, it
should terminate errant officers. We often hear of policemen under the
influence of alcohol while on duty and in this case, a policeman taking out
his frustrations on his poor wife, who was at work. This is a domestic
problem that should have been solved at home rather than disturbing the sick
patients and abusing the innocent nurses and doctors. – Cop watcher, via
email
Special task force needed
THIS year, each district will get a total of K10 million. It is anyone’s
guess how honest and capable our MPs would be in managing such huge funding.
As such, I suggest the Ombudsman Commission (leadership investigation
division), the police (National Fraud and Anti-Corruption squad) and the
Auditor-General’s office form a special “task force” team to conduct
investigations and to verify the actual spending by each MP in their
respective electorate. – Steven Supi Palisa, Port Moresby
|
 |
