Change depends on your choice in 2017

 2017 is not as far as you may think 

Therefore, intending candidates (whether regional or open) must start developing their own five-year rural/urban development policies (not plans) to address all aspect of development issues and how best they are going to deliver services accordingly through local-level governments and districts. 

This is regardless of the political party he/she is affiliated with. 

Their policies, I suggest, should include how best they can use the many development funds to cater for priority areas. 

Look at the worst-performing indicators in each area and start coming up with activities or projects that can effectively address that. 

Identify issues and baselines and form policies to solve them one at a time. 

As an educated society, let us not become observers and partakers of the same old habits and keep accepting everything that happens in this game. 

Instead of progressing, we are directly contributing to developments that regress. 

As an educated person, you cannot just vote for someone who offers you cash, follow family ties and connections, or get influenced by cash handouts and sweet talks. 

That strategy may seem right with candidates that happen to use it once to win votes, but is very unhealthy for our democracy. 

In the long run, it will have negative impacts on development if a wrong person is voted in. 

Come 2017, intending candidates must market their policies at organised public forums or rallies. 

This will change the people’s mindsets eventually from the old ways to electing the right candidate with the best policy for the right job. 

Do not make the same mistake because after 2017, I do not think you want to complain for another five years for someone that you elected for under-performing or for being ineffective. 

To get the best person for the job, it rests solely on you – the educated ones – to make the change. 

Nowadays it is becoming sickening, tiring and suicidal to complain about development issues and corruption that harm our provinces, districts and our country as a whole. 

Unless this one is taken heed of, the trend continues beyond 2017. 

Gotuse

Port Moresby