Column 1 – The National

Covid treatment
THE State reportedly gave K10 million last year to a new local company which had told everyone that it was highly confident it had found a new treatment for the Covid-19 after “scanning and analysing” 30,000 drugs from around the world. If that new treatment is available, PNG badly needs it now.
Covid scare
MAYBE the majority of people still to be vaccinated in PNG are more afraid of the vaccine than the Coronavirus itself.
Covid headlines
MONDAY’S headline in the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia’s biggest selling newspaper: “Australia needs to step up as PNG is hit by Covid.” Radio NZ also had: “PNG desperately needs overseas help to fight Covid-19.”
Covid funds
SOME officials out in the provinces are asking the government for more funds to deal with the Covid-19 but have not accounted for the millions they were given last year for that purpose. Mind-boggling.
Deep drains
THOSE drains in the middle of Boroko Avenue in Port Moresby are so deep that if one falls in, it will take a herculean effort for one to climb out unaided. One really has to yell aloud for help over the noise of passing traffic.
Food for thought
THE most basic and powerful way to connect to people is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.
Top quote
“WHEN you talk about herd immunity we are still a long way to go, I would like to see at least 80 percent of the population vaccinated before 2022 ends. – National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning.