Foreigners should cop the blame too

I REFER to your editorial   entitled “Corruption hol­ding PNG back” (The National, July 2).
While most of what was written seems to be happening, it was mostly ge­neralising and stereo­typing.
Gifts, tokens of appre­ciation, tips, kickbacks, etc, were unknown and not ingrained in our culture as it tried to make readers believe.
Only in the recent 20 years did these negative Western and Asian attri­butes start creeping into our society.
Most of our rural people still do not expect gifts after offering hospitality to visitors and government or company officials.
It may be true in cities or towns with our current politicians and big shots, but these corrupt practices are frowned upon and not condoned in rural areas.
I do not agree that we should not blame foreign businesses.
Foreign companies were the ones bribing the locals for their land, timber, etc, and helped introduce this virus to PNG.
Search “Australian corruption” on Google and you will find a link “Australia is sliding down the corruption ladder” (smh.com.au). Is there no corruption by Australian companies?
What do you call the four coups that took place in Fiji, if not corruption?
Tourism brochures state that “tips are not acceptable in PNG” whereas in most Western and Asian countries, tips and kickbacks are the norm in all transactions.
Corruption is only one of the detriments to PNG’s development and not the main issue holding it back.

Wong Narunngii
Manus