Focus on the bigger picture

Parliament became so rowdy with heated arguments in the first week of sitting when the costs for Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit were discussed.
Different cost estimates were presented by Minister responsible for Apec Justin Tkatchenko and Prime Minister Peter O’Neill which did not go down well with the Opposition leader Don Polye and his team.
May we all be thankful to the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and the Apec Minister Justin Tkatchenko for making it all possible for such a high profile Apec leaders summit to be held in the country for the first time.
This is once in a lifetime event for PNG.
Are you not proud as a Papua New Guinean to have world’s powerful leaders like the President of USA, Prime Minister of China, Russian Prime Minister visit PNG?
Besides, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Government leaders, Business executives from Apec’s 21 member nations will be here for this very important Apec summit.
I am reliably informed that about 10,000 to 20,000 visitors from abroad will be here for the conference.
The world’s attention will be focused on PNG because of the meeting.
Does this high calibre international gathering mean something to you as a Papua New Guinean?
For most of the world leaders and business executives, this may be their first trip to the country.
They may know about Fiji as a tourist destination in the Pacific but not PNG therefore the trip to the country may be treated as a fact finding mission for them.
This is an excellent opportunity to showcase our unique culture, breathtaking landscapes, golden beaches, fascinating flora and fauna and the wild beauty of our pristine environment.
The high profile Apec leaders’ meeting is good for tourism, agriculture, manufacturing industries, military, health, education, investment opportunities and so forth.
If you want PNG to be a developed nation one day, then welcome the very leaders from the affluent societies whose countries have travelled that road to achieve political and economic independence.
We can learn so much from these leaders on how we can build our nation.
I believe they will be more than willing to help us in whatever we may ask them for.
It is high time that we think outside of the box.
Let us be more mature and sensible in our thoughts, words and actions.
This international gathering will have a huge impact on the nation’s economy now and in future.
For the world leaders to come here is a demonstration of confidence they have in our Prime Minister, our government, our people, our economy, and our land.
I urge every sensible Papua New Guinean to think big and get our acts together to support the Prime Minister and the Apec Minister stage a successful Apec leaders’ summit in 2018.
To Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Apec Minister Justin Tkatchenko this is for you:
“Only those who play win. Only those who risk win.
“History favours risk-takers.
“Forget the timid. Everything else is commentary.” – Iveta Cherneva

Hicks L.Thompson
Port Moresby