Restore, reform and modernise parliament

 THE Parliament House Committee (PHC) has a vision to restore, reform and modernise the people’s parliament. 

The execution of this vision required the removal of totem pole  and replacing it with symbols that represent an inclusive and common beliefs, philosophies and cultures of our time. 

The national unity, identity pillar and the inscriptions they intend to have on it are powerful, inspirational and best fitting for the parliament. 

Papua New Guineans opposing the  PHC’s drive for change should not think that the parliament is another museum or an art gallery.

The right place for keeping cultural artefacts is at the museum. 

The PHC did the right thing by requesting the museum, the rightful custodians of artefacts, to take them. 

Unfortunately, the director of the museum refused the gift and instead tried to stop the PHC from implementing its vision. 

As a result of his resistance and refusal to take custody of these artefacts, the PHC had no choice but to destroy them.

By refusing to take them from the parliament, he instigated  the  destruction. 

The museum director’s reason for refusing  the  carvings is, as mentioned in his speech to a handful of people  and I quote, “Museum  is  not a place for rejects”.  

In  my  view, most  of the artefacts at the museum are rejects in many senses because most of those artefacts  are  old  stuff that the owners have thrown away because they have gone past the use-by-date. 

Having said the above, we must have a best way forward.  

I suggest the director of the museum apologise to the PHC for the inconveniences, unplanned delay of the project and unwarranted bad image he has created of the PHC. 

Then he should humble himself and request the PHC to assist relocating the left over pieces to the museum.  

At least a large part of the totem pole is still standing so that should be relocated safely to the museum 

Finally, let us not fight for a piece of wood that will not help us to secure our nation’s future.  

Carvings and lintels give us nothing but stories of our past history and that is all.  

They do not direct our vision and inspiration for our future. 

For these reasons, any action deemed positive and in the right direction for the whole purpose of securing our future prosperity, success and blessing should be applauded by all of us.  

Hela Paiko, Via email