Keep the focus, stay the course

 WE marked our 38th year of independence yesterday.

Papua New Guinea is a country on the up despite what detractors domestically, and abroad, might say. 

What can we say has changed in 38 years of nationhood? 

What progress has been made to better the lives of the people and improve the standing of this country on the world stage? 

The resource boom in the mining and gas and petroleum industries has ensured that this country, at least for the foreseeable future, is on track to fulfil some of its enormous potential in the short to medium term. 

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill speaks of the dawning of a new ear, a time where there will no longer be lost opportunities, a time when the people will finally start to see and feel the benefits of the riches that flow from this land. 

O’Neill’s government, 13 months into a second term, is poised to stoke the fires that will propel PNG to the next level of nationhood. 

It may sound presumptuous, but there are those in Government who believe that given prudent management and the right policies, this nation could move into the next chapter of its life – from the third world to the first. 

These are lofty ambitions indeed. 

Vision 2050 has been a long-term plan and strategy for national development first introduced by O’Neill’s predecessor, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. 

It has been retained by the current prime minister who recognises its relevance.

It is  a vision and ideal that holds true for whoever is in government. 

O’Neill has highlighted several pillars that, if developed properly, will not only put PNG on an even keel but provide the wind in its sails to take this country to that destination. 

Foremost among the Government’s plans is developing the policies that will drive change. 

“It is more evident now that we need stability in our country, not only in government but in the public service machinery and government policies to give confidence to the private sector. 

“So I think it is relevant to say that we are aiming towards an era of stability in the country,” O’Neill told veteran journalist John Eggins in a special Independence Day interview on television. 

Priorities in education, health, maintaining law and order and infrastructure development coupled with good governance and an economy tracking generally upwards  are seen as the keys to building a better nation. 

To improve the standard of living in the country in practical terms, it needs an educated workforce, more employment opportunities for them, increased business opportunities in small and large scale industry for Papua New Guineans and better all round services for the people to achieve these aims. 

Areas that have stagnated such as our agricultural sector must be reinvigorated.

We need to see real, tangible and sustainable changes to the roads and bridges built to link the rural communities, who make up the majority of the population, to cities and towns.

Tourism, which O’Neill has likened to a “sleeping giant” has been neglected for so long. 

The cultural diversity that makes us unique as a people is one thing that tourists could flock to see but so too are our historical sites. 

The country’s unique flora and fauna is another potential drawcard.

But in order for PNG to stay the course, there must be stability in government and consistency in its policies. 

“We have to develop good stable policies that are deliverable to the people and I think we have done that,” O’Neill says.

“We have a very solid policy in education, a very strong policy in health and we’re growing the economy while we’re trying to make our country safer by investing more in law and order.

“We’re building infrastructure to meet the growing demands of our people and our economy, and with good policies, I think we can start taking advantage of the opportunities that are before us.” 

Vision 2050 is 37 years away from fruition. 

We know for certain that many governments will come and go in that time.

But we only hope that they stay faithful to the idea that we must have a vision to focus on.

The country must have a sense of purpose and direction to achieve the goals of Vision 2050.