Leaders must better manage our resources
27 July 2010
THE MINING industry
in PNG has contributed much to the economy over the last 34 years.
It is sad to hear that major revenue earner, the giant Ok
Tedi Mine, will not continue past 2013. This was revealed by Western Province
Governor, Dr Bob Danaya, during a Sustainable Development Program forum in
Porgera, Lihir and other mining concerns also have a limited lifespan as non-renewable resources.
The closure of Misima and the forecast end of Ok Tedi sends a signal to the government.
This is a big challenge to MPs and the people of PNG to be aware that non-renewable resources will one day come to an end.
When that happens, what will be the government’s major sources of revenue to sustain the growing demands of the country?
At present many countries are major aid contributors because they have an interest in our natural resources, especially mining, oil and gas. After these resources are gone, PNG will be left like an African nation.
We have to be more mature about these resources. Mismanagement of the revenue and the natural environment are major problems.
The government must do something right now to raise the standard of living. This is no time for poverty and corruption to linger. If other countries can prosper, PNG can too.
It is irritating to hear that PNG is ranked one of the poor nations in the world. Why is that?
In fact, I feel we are going backwards, fuelled by a chronic attitude problem and a high level of official corruption and bribery.
The government must do something to sustain the nation after the resources are gone. There is still time.
The government needs to check itself out and properly plan what it can do to sustain the country when giant mining companies shut down their operations.
This is an urgent call to the government to act before it’s too late.
Will all the gold and copper and oil and gas solve all our financial woes? Don't think so?
Our problems lie in managing the gains from those resources. We need strong management with people centered leadership in place to see PNG progress and prosper.
We dont need the proud, greedy and arrogant bodies warming bureaucratic and poitical chairs as was and is the scenario.
I m Michael Atuai and thats just my opinion.
Posted by: Michael Atuai | 01 August 2011 at 11:14 PM
The government can better manage PNG's finite resources through better and improved long-term strategic planning.
We need to now synchronise the Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS) with the 20-year Long Term Plan and the 40 year Vision Framework. This has yet to be implemented by the national workforce.
The government of late has been singing praises about the 2050 Vision that it has not really refined the MTDS to fit in with the two long-term plans.
The Vision 2050 covers eight parliaments into the future and, provided they do their work well, PNG will achieve its future vision of being a happy, wealthy and healthy country by that time.
But it could be just 'a pie in the sky' concept. Most well developed countries in the world today have not achieved this end state, so how can a small developing country like PNG with over 800 different languages and dialects beat them within a 40-year timeframe?
It will be quiet difficult but not impossible in the next 200 years. Long live, PNG!
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 27 July 2010 at 10:46 AM
Blatantly and arrogantly, government is using its parliamentary majority and strength to make sweeping decisions in the best interest of none.
Decisions are made in the Haus Tambaran without the consent of customary landowners.
There will be more issues regarding the development of our natural resources if government continues to avoid the landowners.
PNG is for Papua New Guineans, not just for the people in Waigani.
Posted by: Joe Wasia | 27 July 2010 at 08:55 AM
In the Sunday Chronicle 25 July 2010, there was a report from the Southern Highlands of a declaration by landowner groups that companies involved in construction of the LNG pipeline have 14 days to get out of the province.
A public statement declared that the people did not want to harm workers or the police but only wanted to stop the LNG project. They have weapons that have been smuggled in with some transported across the Kokoda Track.
Unconfirmed street reports in Port Moresby are that a very large amount of explosives has been stolen from the magazine of Tolukuma gold mine and these will be used to blow up bridges within 14 days. It is planned to be a war against infrastructure.
Blame for the trouble has been leveled at the government in arrangements made with false landowner groups and the lack of financial support to the villagers. Government is being taken back to square one.
Posted by: Bruce Copeland | 27 July 2010 at 06:30 AM