PNG needs to change

I COULD not agree more with the letter “Chaos in city” by City Resident that appeared in Friday’s The National.
It is frustrating to see the streets turn into market places and the selfish behaviour of many motorists, most of whom are taxi and PMV drivers.
There is simply no respect for regulations and the rights of others to live in a clean and orderly environment.
People do as they wish and our men in uniform and those in the National Capital District Commission are turning a blind eye.
You could wind down your car window and throw out rubbish or spit out betel nut and enforcement officers would not care about it – not unless they are in need of cash.
What has happened to the law against spitting betel nut in public?
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop talks a lot.
Although I sometimes agree with what he says, as City Resident said, talk is cheap.
Parkop should stop making excuses and crack the whip.
He should ensure that his staff do their job. If he himself cannot do the job, then he should be honest and brave enough to step aside.
Papua New Guinea has more than enough laws.
The problem is weak enforcement and political will.
Politicians are always careful of how their decisions or actions will go down with the public.
With the elections due next year, the situation can only get worse.
Laws are only good and useful if they are enforced.
Right now, they are not worth the paper they are written on.
This means the taxes hardworking people are paying to the Government are being wasted.
They are being wasted when our MPs just go to Parliament to talk and not do anything.
They are being wasted on paying the salaries of the enforcement personnel who are too lazy to act unless there is some benefit for them.
Millions upon millions are being spent on public infrastructure and millions more will be spent to repair them because Papua New Guinea is so painfully poor at maintaining them.
Of course, corruption is a big cause of that, but that is another issue.
Recent reports say that Papua New Guinea is one of the worst places to live in.
How can it ever get better when we have poor attitudes, no accountability, no respect for laws, poor planning, poor discipline and poor leadership?
What is the point of declaring Papua New Guinea a Christian country?
Killings, rape, adultery, incest and corruption are on the rise.
Is this really a Christian country?
Things can only change when we first admit our shortcomings.
Papua New Guinea should face the reality and accept that we should be honest and steadfast if we are to ever improve.
Until we do so, we will get nowhere, regardless of what we call PNG.

Realist, Port Moresby