Poverty is crippling PNG

The National Letters

WHILE Papua New Guinea may boast of its abundant natural resources unlike other countries, the scenario on the local scene is very opposite.
Our country is currently facing poverty.
Poverty can be defined as denial of basic needs and wants.
It is a condition where one lacks the socio-economic access to basic needs such as food, water, shelter, cloths and security.
Symptoms of poverty in our societies are very real and is common throughout the country.
One cannot deny that.
Year-in and year-out governments have tried their best in addressing other issues, however poverty is endemic and has grown roots in our society.
PNG, like other third world, have similar features of poverty including:

  • Unavailability of basic government services to the majority of its citizens;
  • chronic social disorder;
  • lack of basic security;
  • economy is sustained by extractive industries;
  • wider wealth margins between the haves and the have-nots (rich and the poor); and,
  • Chronic corruption issues among people from villages to national levels

Daily socio-economic problems such as theft or robbery, home-brew, rape (and related domestic violence), poor road conditions, shortage of basic medical drugs etc… are problems faced throughout the country.
A classic example is prostitution as was reported in The National on Nov 8 2019, pg 1-2. A survey conducted by The National on the same date saw an appalled result satisfying the above points (1-3) of the symptoms of poverty in the country.
To be exact, these are indications of extreme poverty.
Poverty in PNG is assumed to be relative poverty.
This means that development (economic activities) is concentrated to certain parts of the country causing “income inequality” among regions and people.
Other important factors that may be the cause of poverty includes:

  • Laziness among individuals with the expectations of free hand-out from government and others;
  • demographic and social factors as in Port Moresby and other urban centres;
  • environmental or geographic factors as in most rural areas;
  • economic factors such as unemployment, inflation and wage rate; and,
  • Weak government institutions that support the people

Eradication of extreme poverty is a first global Millennium Development Goal that expired in 2015.
From general observations regarding our economic and social status, our country had scored far below the poverty–line over the last four years (2015–2018).
Certain government incentives such as free education, free health services and supporting local entrepreneurs through SMEs packages were targeted to have gained a wider criticism throughout the country.
How can we as an individual, community, district, province and as a nation address poverty?
Policies have been made and several suggestions were outlined to address this issue.
From an individual point of view, poverty can be reduced and eradicated through:

  • Creating business hub with focus on manufacturing industries that can create more employment opportunities;
  • encourage and give opportunities to citizens to be initiative and more productive in using resources around them; and,
  • Educational institutions should train graduates to be employers and not employees. PNG has a long way to go and these will take time.

If this trend is to be continued then the vision of Marape Government will be opposite.
By 2019, PNG will be one of the poorest black nation on this Earth.

A Ruarri (jnr),
Gogol Valley