Incentives for athletes but what about the injustices of our country
23 July 2015
GEORGE KUIAS
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has announced that athletes who did not win any medals during the 2015 Pacific Games will each receive K2,500 as an incentive for their efforts.
Well, I congratulate Mr O’Neill for the initiative and the plan to develop sports in Papua New Guinea. Through sport the government will be able to combat increasing crime.
But, before the honourable prime minister does this, could his government locate sporting facilities in every district of PNG down to village level so we can develop the best and most talented sport men and women to national and even international level?
Millions of kina were spent on the 2015 Pacific Games. While watching the Games live on EMTV, I was proud of my country men and women competing against the neighbouring Pacific nations.
Maybe some of them were thinking of receiving their prize money so were performing to their best.
But, while the Games were going on, at our hospital mothers was suffering in labour. One from remote Finschhafen district of Morobe Province; another from the remote Ambunti district of East Sepik.
Could the same effort involved in developing the Pacific Games be put into our remote area health services where people desperately need them?
The prime minister said some people were “too blind to see the sacrifices” of the athletes even though their eyes were open.
What about sacrifices and hardships faced in remote areas in regard to basic government services: health, education, road infrastructure and the rest?
Is he too blind to see these sacrifices. Is this not an injustice?
Very real comments. Period! I am a cancer patient and like many others am always distraught when I front up at our premier hospital often to find there are no drugs available. If ever there are any available, I am reliably informed most are outdated by years.
It's all right to spend hundreds of millions on sporting facilities but we can't spend the same amount on drugs for our sick. But, having said that I can understand why the health department isn't getting anywhere.
When you have a minister who himself looks frail, old and sick one can understand why the department is moving at snail's pace and isn't going anywhere!
Posted by: Falaniko Parani | 02 August 2015 at 03:43 PM