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Sports |
ESP government has lots to explain
I WISH to comment on the recent
influx of foreign businesses in East Sepik province. If you travel
to Wewak and Maprik, you will find almost all retail shops are run
or owned by foreigners. They came in the name of buying vanilla
but have diverted into businesses like timber export, road
construction, gold buying and fishing. It seems that the East
Sepik provincial administrators are favouring foreigners instead
of their own people. One example is the Windjammer Beach Hotel. It
was once owned by the East Sepik provincial government but was
apparently sold without public tender or sale inviting potential
local buyers. Since there are no public forums, meetings or
circulars anymore to keep the people informed on the provincial
government’s business interests, I would like to request the East
Sepik provincial administration to inform the local people
regarding the status of Sepik Cocoa Growers Pty Ltd, Sepik Coffee
Ltd and East Sepik Development Corporation. — Concerned Sepik,
Wewak
Genuine landowner issues
I REFER to the article ‘Ramu
landowners raise concerns’ (The National, June 14). The issues
raised by the landowners are genuine and they need to be given a
chance to take part in the economic activities. It is indeed
disgusting to see so many illiterate foreigners coming into our
country to take up job and business opportunities supposedly
reserved for locals. Foreign developers need to learn how Western
miners in the country operate such as PJV, Lihir, Ok Tedi and
others in terms of landowner benefits, working conditions,
employee benefits, spin-off business activities, etc. —
Concerned Citizen, Madang
Queen’s honour query
IN the recent Queen’s award list,
five members of the PNGDF were awarded MBEs. While I agree four of
them deserved the awards, there is one name, which should not be
there at all. Although he has served 30 years, he also crashed a
few military vehicles, got into a few fisticuffs with his fellow
officers for making advances on an officer’s wife and frequented
nightclubs. The person who recommended this particular officer
should be ashamed because he would have lied under oath. —
Manji Ulanawa, Port Moresby
Sacrifice for good leadership
PNG’s work force needs to vote in the
elections. Why? If you do not vote, others will decide for you who
should represent you and your family in Parliament. When you do
not take part in the elections, people may elect unfit people who
may make bad decisions and affect our lives. You may want a
certain person elected into Parliament but if you do not vote, you
are not helping the cause. If you do nothing, then this nation is
headed for ruin. As a thinking intelligent Papua New Guinean, vote
to make that change. And that means actually standing in the long
queue to cast your vote in the elections. That is called
sacrificing for good leadership. Giving up and going home because
the line is too long is no good excuse. No pain, no gain. —
John C, Via email
Silence deafening on wages
IT is sad that not one party or
candidate has touched on the need to increase the basic wage in
this country. It is a sad fact that ordinary working people in PNG
have been grossly underpaid for many years. Politicians have said
many times the country cannot afford to increase the basic wage
yet they can give themselves large, and in my opinion, immoral
increases in wages and allowances. — Braid Anderson, Lae
Spell out party policies
IF party leaders are dying to become
the next prime minister, I suggest they spell out their party
policies and previous achievements clearly instead of making
negative comments on other parties and leaders. Voters must be
told how they are going to tackle issues such as law and order,
corruption within statutory bodies, lack of infrastructure
developments in the rural areas, etc. — EJ Kalamah Mari,
Unitech
Vital to exercise your rights
COULD all Lae voters who worship on
Sabbath day,
including Christ For the Nations, please read Titus 3:1a: “Remind
them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready
for every work …” The Electoral Commission and its agents are
agents of the government of the day. Why not submit and sacrifice
one day? Would your exercising your constitutional rights to vote
violate the heavenly law to “obey” lawful authority? It’s only one
day. After all, you would not have points deducted for missing one
Sabbath? — Bapa Bomoteng, Lae
 
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