Experts told to help people

MOROBE Governor Luther Wenge yesterday called on scientists and technologists to find practical solutions that can help the ordinary people.
Papua New Guinea had made some bad decisions in the name of bringing in investment that had now left the nation with serious environmental damage, Mr Wenge said at the opening of the sixth Huon seminar and the second science and technology conference at the University of Technology in Lae.
He told participants: “Examine, critique and discuss scientific and technological issues, but you must find meaning and application for our people in the rural areas who do not even know the meaning of the words science and technology.”
Mr Wenge said forums of intellectual debate and discussions such as the Huon seminar were essential for the country.
“It is through such forums that the intellectual community must gather to examine, critique, discuss and explore sound science and technological development strategies.
“Papua New Guinea is a very young country with much of our virgin forest still intact.
“Our minerals are yet to be discovered and extracted, our fish and marine life yet to be harvested and our air, rivers and agricultural land still organically healthy,” he said.
“Therefore, we must prepare now to be custodians of such wealth-based on sound scientific reasoning and decision-making,” Mr Wenge added.
“The reason why we have not made good judgments in our selection and application of technology is because of our lack of ability in science and technology to inform ourselves, in particular our leaders, to make the right choices.”