Bribery deeply rooted in PNG

Letters

IN reference to The National’s front page on Tuesday, one should understand that bribery is a common practice in our society.
Bribery has been here for decades and could be mistaken as a part of our heritage.
It is evident in all of our nation’s institutions and it’s likened to a pandemic itself.
Bribery is rife, there is no hiding that fact but have we become too ignorant to the point that it’s normalised in our daily lives.
Humans at some point are inherently bound to sidestep morality to do what’s best to satisfy their own needs and desires.
Bribery is within the nature of the beast.
When the European sailboats anchored here in the 19th century, our people were treated with utensils and condiments we now use on a daily basis as payments for their friendships, trust and access to our people and land although there were some hostile accounts.
One can argue about that being the birth of institutional bribery.
The act of bribery has been here ever since the first contact and will be here infinitely.
In the real world, devious underhand dealings are neutered only through act of bravery or heroism, which is a silent crime in a society as ours.
Bribery carries a generic meaning common elsewhere but to contain it here might come down to perspective.
One has to really understand that Papua New Guinea is a country like no other.
Our complex society is an enigma in itself.
A simple solution might not be applicable to a thousand tribes.

Avid Reader,
NCD