column1

Editorial, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday June 25th, 2013

 WE are not sure if you have realised it, but in today’s political speak, the No.1 catch phrase is “impact projects”. Leaders talk about impact projects in their electorates while ministers talk about impact projects in their area of responsibilities.

***

THE expression entered common usage during the years when Sir Julius Chan was in Cabinet.  He devised 10 “impact projects” throughout the country – two of which were the Lae Port extension and Port Moresby’s Poreporena Freeway. 

***

AN editorial we ran last month said: Impact projects are just plain wrong. Government and leaders ought to be talking about impact programmes, not impact projects. What do you say?

***

ALCOHOL-related problems among PNG youth is one of the most prevalent issues in the country which the government and its responsible agents need to address head on.

***

IN a forum organised by the Law and Justice Sector on Alcohol and HIV at the PNG Institute of Public Administration sometime back, it was discussed that dealing with issues alone would not bring change unless we dealt with the “subjects” who caused these problems. 

***

THERE seem to be many forums on alcohol and drug abuse but little follow-up action. 

***

YES, we agree that young people are very vulnerable and their behaviour can be bad and negative. But they are basically good people. What are relevant organisations doing to address this issue?

***

SAD but true. One Papua New Guinean dies every two hours from tuberculosis. Going by this statistic supplied by World Vision, PNG loses 12 people a day, 84 people a week and 4,368 people a year from the disease. World Vision reports that there are 16,000 new cases of the disease detected each year. Of these 2,900 are infected with HIV as well.

***

TAXI drivers in Port Moresby have the worst traffic manners. 

***

THEY will swerve in and out of traffic, they will blare their horns at the slightest delay, they drive at their own  pace ignoring traffic flow and nothing will move them to do otherwise. 

***

BUT there is one thing they do know and that is all the streets, side streets and potholes. When the rain fills in the potholes, follow a taxi to avoid axle-deep puddles. 

***

WHEN there is a traffic jam, follow taxis on a side street and you are most likely to beat the queue.

***

AND you can always spot a taxi with its bonnet open a few kilometres from where a road check is being conducted by a National Road Safety Council team.

[email protected]