Change of leadership

I WRITE to congratulate James Marape for being elected has the eighth Prime Minister of the independent state of Papua New Guinea.
The support of such magnitude given to you by these 101 MPs truly shows that PNG needs change in top leadership.
I surely know that you will look into different perspective in taking this already overburdened country to ensure you instil some confidence to its citizen.
Firstly, some elected Members of Parliament who have an attitude of talking sweet talks, breast beating and boasting to their constituencies about the changes that they bring to their people in terms of infrastructure development such as roads, bridges, communication, electricity, health services, education, water, and many more, I think they must abstain from this.
PNG citizens by now we should come to understand that it was our money that transformed into such services and for one MP to come and say that it was me or my government during my tenure has bring such services to you is nonsense and completely untrue.
We the citizens have initially initiated and paid for those services in the beginning in the form of tax and automatically we are entitled for the services that came out from Waigani.
MPs must not talk too much on these services that they deliver.
You are mandated and it’s your paid job to ensure your people get those services and don’t use this for political convenience.
People of this nation are dying from bad decisions and policies.
The vast riches that our nation holds in terms of gold, copper, copra cocoa , oil, fishery, agriculture and so on, literally tells us that PNG will not be crying or short on infrastructure development.
We have enough but why are we so poor in this rich nation?
MPs please know your primary role.
Be a legislator and manager and don’t talk about the services you deliver.
We have voted you into parliament to legislate and pay you to manage.
MPs need to deviate from this misconceive perception.
Secondly, with great understanding, the slogan
“Take back PNG” is not just about service delivery but it’s also about revamping policies.
Now time is on our side and all MPs from both side of the House should work together with Marape and move this country forward.
Why I say this because I have faith in young and vibrant MPs like, Gary Juffa, Bryan Kramer, James Donald, Belden Namah to name a few are all like-minded leaders although they will be in the opposition side but can project and propose some profound alternatives our good PM can grasp and lead this country forward.
To conclude, current laws (we see as outdated) allowing large corporate companies exploiting our natural resources and parking all the returns overseas (offshore) must stop.
Its time, they should do all business transactions onshore (many benefits associated to this).
Encourage downstream processing to create job and minimise export/import cost, also PNG citizen can afford finished product at a lower cost.
Taxation system (especially personal income tax).
Public service delivery mechanism (services not reaching rural population) why?
Empowering women in politics (gender base approach for equal political playing field).
Address issues faced by our business facilitators such as IPA, Customs, IRC, Immigration (rise in illegal entry and established business entities evading corporate taxes). Empowering provincial and local level government, the closest government to the rural population.
The laws must be change not to chase our genuine investors but to suit national interest.
PNG must enjoy some direct investments.

Hanam Bill Sandu
LAE