Protecting our national identity

OUR national and provincial flags are being dragged in the mud, abused, misused, misrepresented, and misprinted with all sort of cheap materials by foreign business people who think that they can do everything under the sun to make money. This is bad and should be condemned in every way possible. They are making a total mockery of our national heritage and pride.
I bet 100 per cent that no Papua New Guinean company will dare to reproduce the national flag and treat it the way it is being treated. You will automatically be arrested and sent to prison.
Our national government on the other hand has failed us like everything else in this country by allowing this. The government does not seem to care that such unscrupulous actions are being taken.
It must take ownership and responsibility to protect our cultural heritage, our pride and passion.
The sovereignty of PNG is at stake and we can lose our dignity, integrity and pride if we are not careful. Our national flag, our national anthem, our national symbol – the national crest, the Bird of Paradise – should be protected by law and should not be abused by anyone, including our own people.
I suggest we introduce copyright laws and impose tough penalties to stop the importation and reproduction of the above national treasures for sale. Let us not sell ourselves cheaply.

P. Nugu