Four major causes of woes in PNG
THERE are many problems PNG is facing. In my opinion, these are the four major causes of the problems we are facing.
1. Increasing population of settlement settlers in our urban areas hinder development.
Ratepayers are expected to financially support a growing city infested with people from other provinces partaking in illegal activities and contributing to social degradation and crime.
This is why Port Moresby, Lae and now Madang, are in danger of becoming filthy and criminal-infested places.
2. No control or regulation over traditional land usage.
This is causing uneducated and lazy traditional landowners to put up land for blocks. This impedes formal development and progress due to compensation demands and harbouring of criminals.
Evidence of this is Kamkumung in Lae. Long before blocks were given out, that part of the Lae city was a peaceful and beautiful place. Try visiting it on public transport now if you’re brave. If you are unlucky, you might end up being a victim.
3. Failure to invest in transport system.
The failure of successive governments since independence to invest in transport system is now showing in our urban centres.
If the government had taken over transport and developed it, PNG would have self-sustainable transport system that would have capacity to pay for road maintenance, etc.
4. No job opportunities for youths forced to leave formal education system.
There is a lack of vocational institutions to equip our school leavers with “tradesman” qualifications. This lack of educational capacity has seen a lot of our young men and women resorting to other illegal means of survival.
Yet we are crying for more money to fight HIV while totally blind to the roots of our social problems.
We must teach our people how to be good citizens and respect others from young.
Let us build a society where no one is left behind in terms of education, moral values and personal development.
Let us empower our people to bring about change.

Gawac Nga2, Brisbane, Australia
Letters