People just looking for a better life

MOST people that are moving to Port Moresby from other provinces are looking for opportunities.
They stay in the village and see you drive by in your flashy car, a hot wife on your side and your bright eyed healthy kids and they want that.
That’s why they’re here – they’re looking for a better life.
There aren’t many opportunities back home, especially for those that failed grades 8, 10 or 12.
You can’t expect them all to stay home and become subsistence farmers.
They are people just like you and me and they want a better life – to eat better food, sleep in a better home and experience better public services.
This isn’t a mystery.
This is the reason why they all leave their home provinces.
Sure some leave because of tribal fighting or having being shunned by their tribe, but this isn’t the main reason for the rise in rural to urban migration.
This is no different from the worldwide immigration crisis faced by Western countries and
I’m not talking about actual refugees.
From Africans trying to get into Europe to South Americans trying to get into the US and Canada, they’re all just looking for a better life.
The only way to stop our migration problem is to seriously clamp down on corruption.
Investigate and lock up those crooked MPs and create a better system to keep track of all the money leaving Waigani.
Boost the fraud squad offices around the country and also the public prosecutor’s office.
The Vagrancy Act is just a band-aid solution.
Sure it’ll solve the problem for now but it’s just like sweeping dirt under the rug.
The dirt won’t be visible but it will still be in the house.
You might be thinking, why can’t they just vote better leaders?
In case you didn’t know, these so-called leaders build up their war chest in the five years they “serve” and then come out guns blazing during election time.
By “guns blazing”, I mean guns and money.
The gullible eat up the money (which was theirs in the first place) and the strong-willed are silenced by guns, pun intended.
If these leaders are held accountable for their actions, then it will discourage future corrupt activities or at least make these leaders try to “act” like they have a moral compass.
The corruption is so blatant and out in the open, people are losing faith in our courts.
These leaders don’t need your prayers and don’t wait for divine intervention; please don’t waste your time.
Some people are just crooked, and years of spinal therapy isn’t going to solve it.
But it’s not just leaders.
It’s also public servants – from the receptionist to the managing director – everyone is trying to make some money on the side.
Flash a wad of cash and you can pretty much do anything in Papua New Guinea.
If you disagree, keep eating your muffins and complaining about the illegal vendors and settlements like it’s all going to magically disappear.

Lycan DeLux
9-Mile