Borrow less and save money, says businessman

Business

A BUSINESSMAN has urged people to change from the money-borrowing culture to the savings culture.
Highlands Printing Press Publication operator John Ewande stressed this point during the launching of the Bank South Pacific Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) roadshow in Goroka last week.
“The money borrowing (dinau) culture or borrowed life is spreading like wildfire and is deep rooted among urban dwellers. They need to be salvaged to allow them to adopt a savings culture habit,” Ewande said.
He said people needed to understand and appreciate the cash economy and move away from the old ways of living.
Ewande said fewer people were saving money while many, including public servants, were spending recklessly.
“If PNG cannot groom 250,000 SMEs across the country by 2025, let’s kiss the economy goodbye and allow foreigners to invade our informal sectors. Then we will become slaves in our own land,” he said.
“We can complain and grumble but it won’t help. We need to stand up and make our presence felt. We must launch a nationalistic spirit in owning and managing our own businesses.”
Ewande is one of BSP’s SME  customers in Goroka.
“People must come out with determination and challenge themselves. Enough of lazing around, complaining and waiting for government handouts or donations from NGOs. The dependency mentality needs to be removed,” he said.