PNG marching to Australia’s beat

 MUCH has been said about the asylum saga but the debate rages on. 

Let me look at the issue from another perspective. 

The Prime Minister says Australia’s PNG soloution has had an impact with asylum seekers who, faced with the grim prospect of being sent to Manus or Nauru, are changing their minds about sailing to Australia from Indonesia.

The boat people’s goal is Australia and not PNG. 

Well, thumbs up for Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who was smart enough to propose the deal to Peter O’Neil. 

It is another political ploy in Rudd’s ambition to retain the premiership in next month’s elections. 

Good one. Now the people of Australia will be very happy that the problem is being solved or rather, offloaded.

For becoming our big brother’s ‘cargo boy’, we are assured of some development funds basically coming in the form of the so-called Boomerang Aid (AusAID). 

Thank you Australia, we will always be your Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels and carry your bagage through rugged terrain and tough times. 

History will always repeat itself when it comes to these two nations. 

The thing that does not baffle me is why the boat people are unwilling to stay in PNG. 

Obviously because PNG is basically an under-developed nation stricken with corruption, an HIV/Aids epidemic, high illiteracy levels,  lawlessness and so on. 

Despite so much effort by the Tourism Promotion Authority to make this nation a tourist destination, even the boat people who flee the worst of the situations cannot imagine a future in PNG.

One could assume we are better than their homelands. It is not the case. We are probably worse.

It saddens me to think that in addressing an Australian issue, Peter O’Neill has overridden local and international views.

Don’t you think that this smacks of neo-colonialism? We get money from Australia and do as its leader bids?

O’Neill should stop beating his chest about the asylum seekers’ unwillingness to come to PNG.

His decision only serves to assist his Australian counterpart to remain in power. It doesn’t matter an iota to him that PNG ranks so low in international indicators of economic growth and development. 

Enough of being a cargo boy. If Australia is a genuine developmental partner, it should stop tying its interests to aid for PNG. 

My plea to the Prime Minister is to stand strong and learn to say no when it is necessary. 

PNG is not a poor and failed state. Stop behaving as if the country has no option but to accept everything thrown at us, good or bad. 

That is why you and your PNC party are the people’s choice. To make a difference.

Totave

Lae