Pandemic brought good experience

THE Coronavirus has brought some good experiences in PNG.
The suburb that I was residing was very quiet for the last three months unlike what it used to be before the state of emergency (SOE).
There were no consumption of alcohol along the streets and residential areas.
There were no unnecessary loud music all through-out the nights.
There were no fights among the youths or family members.
I know the alcohol related incident occurrence reports at respective police stations has reduced very significantly.
Similarly ambulance services should have received less alcohol-related causalities over the last three months compared to pre SOE.
The health facilities in the cities will also report that they attended to less alcohol-related cases for the last three months unlike in the past.
Alcohol consumption causes health issues such as diabetes, kidney problems, heart attack, high blood pressure, mental disorder, family problems and financial depletion.
The alcohol production companies can re-divert their production to agricultural products, clothing, hardware, food and beverages, ICT and others.
These products will be needed by millions of people compared to alcohol that are consumed by thousands of people and cause more problems.
Alcohol consumption can only be allowed in hotels and guest houses with some strict regulations.
Another good news for people of PNG on Covid-19 SOE is on the gambling industry in PNG.
The National Gaming Control Board lost K100 million plus while all gambling industries lost more than that over the last three months.
That is good news for many people in PNG.
More than K100 million was used for good use over the last three months.
I saw people walking back to their houses with plastic of vegetables, protein and goods unlike before Covid-19 SOE.
All family members stayed together in the house and spent quality time on education, SME and other priorities.
They have used money for early medical checks, repay loans and debts.
At work places, I saw people dressed up neatly and come early to work. They finished work after 4pm.
It has prevented people accepting bribery and borrowing of money at work places.
The quality time was spent at work places too.
If gambling is stopped in PNG, more than half a billion kina will be used by people of PNG for good courses in a year.
Using such amount of money for good courses over certain number of years will really improve wealth creation in PNG.
It will address financial security and alleviate poverty in PNG.
Finally the Human Development Index (HDI) will be improved.
When gambling is permanently banned in PNG, people will not borrow money, no unnecessary loans, no bribery at work places, no skipping off from official working hours.
The quality time will be spent at work places.
There will be efficient and effective work-flow from central level down to communities in PNG.
Ban alcohol and gambling permanently in PNG.
That is how we take back PNG and making it a wealthy black Christian nation in the world.

Dr. Hewali Hamiya