Comparing PNG with other countries, you see a nation very rich in natural resources but very poor in development.

The 2008 survey by World Bank showed PNG is one of the ten most poor and corrupt nations in the world.

The difference between rich and poor nations is not the age of the country. Places like Egypt that are more than 2000 years are still poor.

On the other hand, countries like Canada, Australian and New Zealand – about 200 years old - are developed and rich countries today.

The difference between rich and poor does not reside in available natural resources.

Japan has a limited territory but it is the second world economy. Switzerland and Singapore do not have many natural resources but are also advanced economies.

Race and skin colour are also irrelevant. Its not that we are rated poor because Papua New Guineans are black or Australians rich because they are white.

What is the difference? It is the attitude of the people, framed down the years by education and culture.

On analysing the behaviour of people in rich and developed countries, it is found that the great majority follow nine basic principles: 1) ethics 2) integrity 3) responsibility 4) respect for laws and rules 5) respect for rights of other citizens 6) work loving 7) strive for saving and investments 8) will of supper action, and 9) punctuality.

When comparing these principles with the attitude of Papua New Guineans, there is a big difference. Almost all of us never follow these nine basic principles in our daily lives.

We are not poor because we lack natural resources or because the government is failing us. We are poor because we lack ‘attitude’.

Every individual needs to comply with these nine functional principles and change our attitudes because it is attitude that will take PNG to higher altitude.