Population growth

THE editorial on The National last Friday (Feb 1) discusses the steady rate of population growth in Papua New Guinea and possible remedies.
These can probably be more than one, and a total rethinking of the social fabric may be needed to face the issue.
The problem is certainly not one of geographical space for the people to live in, except for few scattered pockets (take Kiriwina Island, for example, in Milne Bay), but especially of infrastructure and services.
Considering that education, as proven in the rest of the world, is key to any real breakthrough, a massive investment should be considered in that crucial sector immediately and for many years to come.
Train sufficient teachers and provide enough classrooms to make sure every child reaches at least grade 12.
Early marriage is seen by many in rural areas as a natural development in life following expulsion or voluntary dropping out from formal education.
A more educated population, however, then needs better job opportunities.
A mechanism must be put in place to ensure that financial wealth produced in PNG is largely reinvested in PNG.
At the moment, foreign companies in the country take out and invest elsewhere the largest chunk of their earnings.
PNG instead needs to produce its own goods for first consumption.
For that purpose, an increase in population may not be detrimental.
On the contrary, production needs consumers to be sustainable.
A third factor is also needed to ensure the psychological welfare of young people.
I always felt aghast at the shortage of leisure and sports facilities in this country: playgrounds, gyms, cinema houses, mountain tracks, bike competitions, and rugby, soccer or volleyball tournaments, swimming pools.
It would help immensely in generating happiness and self-confidence in young people.
Furthermore, to achieve the objective of helping kids avoid having children too early in life, the role of the family and other institutions is
crucial in making them consider and understand the full emotional, financial and educational consequences a new birth entails.

Fr Giorgio Licini
Catholic Bishops Conference