MDG failure a leadership issue

PAPUA New Guinea’s poor socio-economic report is not attributed to the lack of money but an issue of poor leadership, a business ethics symposium at Divine Word University heard last Friday.
Nasfund joint chief executive officer Rod Mitchell told the symposium that as a result of poor leadership, PNG was “unlikely to meet any of the UN millennium development goals in the time frame set”.
The millennium development goals are due to be met by developing countries in 2015.
“The reason for this dismal failure despite billions in foreign aid and assistance is complex but if we had to summarise it, it comes down to a lack of leadership and through that failure, the demand for strong accountability on all levels,” Mitchell said.
“Leadership, of course, is most effective when it starts at the top, but even then, individually and in groups at all levels there can be a conscious decision to change behaviours.
“But the point is, it has to start somewhere,” he said.
Mitchell also decried the misuse and abuse of political leadership positions in recent times.
He said the use or threat of Parliamentary Privileges Committee to deal with those who speak out on matters of public interest was but an additional stress on democratic process.
The symposium is hosted annually by business studies students of the university’s faculty of business and informatics.