Govt unprepared for emergencies

ONE of the first duties of any government is to protect its citizens both home and abroad.
A government of any country in the world either big or small, protects its citizens from harm, as a solemn responsibility.
While countries were responding to the coronavirus attack in China by coordinating the safe return of their citizens, Papua New Guinea haplessly had no contingency or whatsoever.
If it wasn’t for the kindness of the New Zealand government, many of our citizens especially students studying in the most intense outbreak places in China such as Wuhan and Hubei would be still left stranded.
God knows what would have happened to them.
PNG’s failure to fulfil its primordial role and standing up to an international emergency is a national disgrace.
This would not suffice especially when we just came out of our shell to show the world that ‘we can’ when we splendidly hosted the Pacific Games, Women’s Fifa World Cup, Apec Leaders’ Summit to name a few events of international grandeur and gained that respect.
Lack of money and no resources shouldn’t be an excuse.
A government has to be vigilant in all fronts and ready to rise up to the call.
The Government led by Prime Minister James Marape must be made aware that PNG exists in a global village called international community therefore its focus should go beyond the borders.
Current global work, travel and residence patterns, combined with a more insecure international environment, have expanded the spectre of insecurities to which our citizens abroad may be exposed, whether political upheaval, violent conflicts, terror, natural disasters or crimes conducted by individuals (including rape and abduction) or states (such as unlawful detention). Protecting citizens beyond state borders is a matter of security.
And the ‘young’ government by now should have security contingencies to protect and safe guard its citizens both home and abroad.

David Lepi,
Pan Melanesia