People must do part to fix betel nut issues

PEOPLE in PNG tend to point fingers, shifting blame to others on social-economic and politico-cultural issues.
Two issues associated with betel nut chewing are littering and the spread of tuberculosis (TB).
I am reminded of a famous Engan proverb, “a kid cries for help when his own urine that he urinates into the air falls and reaches his eye”.
It describes the people with a careless habit of chewing betel nut who contract TB and complain that the government is doing very little to alleviate the spread of the disease.
The government blames the chewers but does not do enough to educate the people and regulate the betel nut industry.
In most cases, the blame is shifted to betel nut venders for not changing limes regularly.
Of course they will also blame others.
The fact is, all involved are responsible for the littering, especially in towns and cities, and it reflects the attitude problem we have in PNG.
Every time the government tries to ban betel nut on grounds that the littering is tarnishing the country’s image, the vendors react swiftly and furiously.
The vendors perpetually accuse the government of not provident other decent economic options for them that would also give them handsome returns.
The main culprits are the chewers who dispose betel nut husks anyhow and anywhere and watch from the sidelines as the vendors and government engage in a tug-of-war.
If we are to find an amicable solution, we need a concerted effort from all stakeholders.
The government is failing terribly for failing to provide other economic opportunities.
The vendors trade wherever they want with little regard for the laws.
And chewers totally do not care where they throw the husks or spit as long as they get to chew.
MPs, bureaucrats, NGOs and concerned bodies must do their part.

Komson Nick Kome
Via email