Change for change alone not for PNG

Editorial

ALWAYS when a new administration is in place, the first temptation is to fiddle with systems, processes, policies, and staff.
Far less attractive is the ability to maintain the status quo, to build on the existing.
But it is by far the most sensible option.
Change should never be made for change’s sake.
Change must only be contemplated for reasons of growth; to meet dramatic new interventions or shifts in society; to introduce new dimensions; to remove or abolish outdated and outmoded technology, habits and methods that are unacceptable to the modern economy; to introduce and better use new technology and knowledge; to meet fresh demands and trends; and introduce programmes that society stands to gain from.
In the 42 years of its existence, PNG has suffered much from ever-shifting policies.
Each new administration uproots and throws out what the previous administration put in place.
It has always been back to the drawing board when it made far more sense to build on successes and merely tweak those policies and programmes that need adjustments.
The years 2000 to 2010 finally showed PNG what it has been missing.
It gained political stability through one government staying in office for a full five-year term and then having it returned following the national elections in 2007 and 2017.
Tinkering with a good position in the interest of introducing changes must therefore be done very carefully.
To our mind the laws of PNG beginning with the Constitution are adequate.
The explanation to the Constitution containing the national goals and directive principles are a visionary and strategic document that sets the vision and mission for the country.
Really, there are no more needs for plans or visions.
The five national goals are indeed the planning and vision blueprint for this country and they have existed from day one.
All we have ever needed and all that is required are complimentary policies and strategies to move these goals from dreams to reality.
In a way, that is what every government has tried to achieve from Independence on.
Unfortunately, the ever-shifting political landscape over much of the first three decades have made it very hard for any regime to sustain its policies and programmes.
There need never have been any new document.
What the people most want to know is what is going to be done about the state of affairs in schools, hospitals, and communities in that province and elsewhere. Action is what is needed. Not words.
In the end, changes must be done only to improve a position, increase productivity and efficiency.
Change for the better may be a bitter pill to some, but to believers, change is the inevitable waiting to happen.
The heart of working policies or programmes must remain but there ought to be careful surgery, grafting and minor cosmetic changes made to make the end product more attractive, more substantial and less ambiguous.
That said, it cannot be overstressed that nobody should ever rest on their laurels.
There must be constant vigilance, reviews and repositioning.