Page 41 - Islands Business October 2023 edition

Opinion

KIKIBAKIKI - PNG AT 48

By Eddie T. Paine the waterways polluted (like Fly River and in Basamuk),
manhandled on your own land by police in Pomio SABLs and
We sat down in the forever blackout Port Moresby city, in most logging sites, social and cultural breakdown—and
I hear the neighbours playing the famous Saugas song, then there are the environmental losses. Why are we not the
Sindaun Bagarap, echoing the windy night, and buai buyers next Dubai as promoted by a governor? Why? We should have
complaining about the hike in the prices; I thought about been better off by now with more foreign reserves, more
Papua New Guinea turning 48 in a few days time. The question downstream processing of our resources, especially fuel,
I asked my small brother Braigi is, “How have we progressed sufficient supply of medical drugs and facilities and more
so far in the last 48 years as a nation?” He said, "Namji money circulating in our country.
(brother), there are so many challenges we had as a nation Firstly, these foreign-owned companies are here to make
and I am very concerned." The discussions went throughout a profit, not to fund our development agenda and we've
the night until our betelnut supply had run out. I thought, witnessed that over the last 48 years. None of the sweet talk
maybe I'll write something on the reflections we had that from our politicians has come true. We have gone backwards
night. and yet not realised how far. These big companies bank their
PNG got its independence from Australia in 1975. Thanks to profits in offshore tax havens and monies are laundered,
our founding fathers, we didn't fight for it like some countries facilitated by corrupt individuals and organisations. We are
did. Even though given freely, the Australians still doubted only given bones to fight over. It’s about time that we rise up
how Papua New Guineans would run this country. In the and start asking tougher questions and demanding answers.
leadup to independence, a Constitutional Planning Committee Secondly, corruption is a huge problem in PNG and has
had already planned our development pathway. kept basic health and education services from reaching our
It was going to be centred around the people, localisation, people, most of whom are rural-based. Our annual CPI scores
and an economy driven by Papua New Guineans based on are some of the worst in the region. Half of our development
equal distribution of wealth, rural development and respect budget is mismanaged and stolen by MPs, bureaucrats and
for one another and the environment. those in authority. This is all evident in daily news, court
However, straight after independence, our politicians documents and in the taxpayer-funded series of inquiries
backed by some powerful local elites and foreigners opted including the Finance Department and UBS inquiries. We
for resource extraction. Foreign-owned companies would need to get rid of corruption and greed within our society,
be brought in to extract our resources and sell them in only then can we see basic services reaching our people. Our
international markets and the proceeds would be used to fund 94 districts receive K10 million each per year with nothing
economic development for the nation. to show for it. There are no financials and acquittals for
As we approach 48 years of independence, have we realised how these funds are used. The Auditor-General’s Office
our goals? Has that approach benefitted rural as well as urban has repeatedly stated that there are also no five-year
Papua New Guineans? The rural majority do not benefit and development plans for the districts. As of now, only 11 out of
the indicators are very obvious. 94 districts have a five-year plan.
We have so many mines, oil, gas, forestry and oil palm So my nephew Randy asks, "So what can be done now?
projects all around the country with very little to show for How can we better our country?” These, we thought, are the
them, our peoples’ lives are worse off than before. The solutions:
promises of these projects on employment, benefits and 1. People should be made the centre of development.
better lives haven't been realised. Yet we are forced to 2. Stop forcing Papua New Guineans to free up their
free up our only important asset, our customary land for customary lands.
development, only to suffer more. This has been repeated 3. It’s time for the people to revolt. Enough is enough.
over the last 48 years. Our Prime Minister when in France
visited Total Energy executives and spoke highly about Papua *Kikibakiki means folk tale in the Binandere Language of Oro
LNG and the benefits it would bring to the economy. This is Province, Papua New Guinea.
not new; we saw that happened to PNG LNG. We have seen
similar promises made in all sectors. We are misled to believe The opinions expressed in this article are those of the
that it is our development. NO. It’s not our development. It’s author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this
their development and their benefits. We reap the benefits publication.
of having been made landless and evicted like in Porgera,

Islands Business, October 2023 41