Let Port Moresby don the national flag

The National Letters

IN response to Jonathan Mok’s letter ‘Drop Provincial Flag’ in The National on Sept 17, everyone has a freedom to choose what to carry, wear or fly come Sept 16 every year.
I am always proud to don my provincial flag every year as it gives me the pride and assurance of personal safety of who I am.
What can every Papua New Guineans be proud of in the national flag when we are still struggling to make ends meet due to the following reasons?

  • 44 years down the bush track had the designer of the flag (late Karike Huhume) yet to be officially recognised by the government since the flag was declared a national icon and identity of this country;
  • 44 years down the bush track has yet to get all Papua New Guineans live together in peace and harmony;
  • 44 years down the bush track failed miserably to handle the Lae ethnic clash which left many locals still live in a care centres;
  • 44 years down the bush track had done nothing significant to be proud of but potbellied politicians;
  • 44 years down the bush track still has our major roads filled with crater holes from Lae to Wabag;
  • 44 years down the bush tack with our own national police being feared by every Papua New Guineans more that criminals;
  • 44 years down the bush track with all major retail shops owned by Asians more than every hard working Papua New Guineans in their own land;
  • 44 years and the list goes on and on;

Let Port Moresby don the national flag.
I will still always don my provincial flag come Sept 16 every year as it will get me to see reality.
That is when I will walk for a distance to catch a PMV to the nearest health centre.
Then I will back-track through the bush track back home to catch a PMV to my provincial capital to seek medical attention for my sick child, to find that my child was sick through contaminated water.
Then it’s back to square one again when I return back home.
What is there to be proud of in carrying or donning the national flag?

Bob
Ramu Valley