Disappointed with this year’s celebrations

THE Independence Day celebrations for 2020 in some parts of PNG were very disappointing compared to past celebrations.
After 34 years of living in Goroka and waking up to the sounds of singing and dancing on the streets every Independence Day, the 2020 Independence Day celebration was so dull that the our leaders should be ashamed of the decision they made in 2019.
I am used to the sweet sound of slit gongs and kundu drums with people staying up all night eager to celebrate the next morning in bright PNG-coloured meri blouses, laplaps, PNG flags flying high, bright PNG T-shirts, homes, cars, parks and public areas decorated in PNG colors.
What a shame!
I walked out of my home accompanied by a small party to see for ourselves, and to our horror not a single T-shirt, meri blouse or PNG flag was worn or a flag flown.
Only a handful of women at the St. Marys’ Catholic Church and a police vehicle were in PNG flag colours.
Everybody else on the streets of Goroka were in ordinary clothes and went about doing their normal businesses.
People were in groups discussing the continued deferral of polling for the Goroka Open by-election, and their shattered interest to celebrate the 2020 Independence Day.
According to people on the streets, “the Government forbids us from celebrating Independence” others were saying “the government wants provincial flags to be flown in their respective provinces only and nowhere else”.
Others were saying “we are all Papua New Guineas living in Goroka town, if you forbid us from celebrating in our own style, we might as well cancel the entire Independence Day celebrations”.
The University of Goroka cancelled a show that students were preparing for.
Only Goroka Secondary school celebrated with a show on Sept 15.
Friends were calling from other parts of the country and reporting similar events, which is really disappointing.
Can we be more proud?
Next year’s Independence Day celebrations should be much better than this year’s.

Gerard Saleu