Hello Malum,
I have been reading your blogspot a lot and find the articles very interesting and also excellent pictures of PNG. You are a great journalist and I send this email for your valuable input and thoughts about the idea of raising awareness amongst the general community through word of mouth and usage of regular media sources to promote good habits, attitudes and values.
Another year is shortly coming to a close and a new year soon to begin and instead of the usual "New Year Resolutions" that most of us (rarely) achieve e.g. quit smoking, quit binge drinking, stop chewing buai, lose weight or save some money, let us look forward to fulfilling dreams that we all wish to chase to improve our lives...
I believe we all have good thoughts in our dreams to see beautiful PNG moving ahead with the rest of the world and this could be by simply applying good thoughts that will not cost us an arm or a leg, but through genuine effort of telling others to change their undesirable habits and attitudes for the better. Advising them to be more respectful, showing honesty and courtesy, and caring and sharing, reminding them of good old-fashioned values and ways that we had learnt from our parents, from our village elders, from school, from church and from our neighbours. To get the message across to the masses, we could ask the media to help out by contributing some free space in their newspapers, radio and television. Worthy discussions could be rotated or offered on a voluntary basis from reputable persons in the community, from church pastors, from political leaders, from senior members of the disciplined forces and senior public servants and also business people.
Simple messages could be conveyed to the people to obey the laws of the country, to respect others and the community, and settling problems and differences peacefully to avoid unnecessary confrontation and violence. Also telling people to stop doing deliberate acts of defacing (ugly graffiti and red buai spit) or damaging government and private property etc. These topics can be constant reminders in the newspapers, radio and television to everyone at least twice or three times a week. Also good suggestions could be discussed in a meaningful and wholesome way to engage the general public in participating for change and improvement to their lifestyles whether living in a town, city, settlement or village. Women could also use this opportunity via the media to voice their concerns on a whole lot of issues such as education, child health care, high cost of food, better housing, clean drinking water, fair employment, and be able to walk freely and safely without being harassed and so on.
Chasing those dreams would surely make PNG a great place to live, work and to do business and also more travellers would want to visit our lovely country, also investors would want to set up businesses to create more jobs and training opportunities. Our dreams can come true if everyone could spare a moment to listen to good thoughts from various reputable persons and apply those good thoughts or dreams. Young ones will grow up happy to enjoy a better and healthy future and they will pass on those dreams or values to their children...
Have a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!
James Derbyshire
Brisbane, Qld
Copenhagen a big waste of money for PNG
ReplyDeleteBY REGINALD RENAGI
THE DAILY news is very discouraging to the people of PNG. They hope for a better future for their children and grand children one day. But that one day is a long way off.
There are many problems affecting their livelihood and want the government to address their immediate needs. But the mass media hype in recent months is mostly about the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen and what we will tell other world leaders.
It’s no big deal. Everyone's being hoodwinked - ordinary people that is, but not intelligent PNGeans. It is one big cop out by the people running this country.
We have many important national priorities to address. Lately, however, these are being constantly overshadowed by a smokescreen of public statements about the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (or REDD) scheme, a global plan to slow down or eliminate the deforestation responsible for 20 percent of global emissions., as if it is the only viable policy option available.
REDD is only one aspect of a complex global phenomenon. PNG's delegation in Denmark seemed to have no real fall-back position if REDD was not acceptable to the world's developed nations who are the biggest biggest polluters.
In the past two weeks, critics have accused the PNG delegation of not being fully prepared for this conference. They are right.
The PM and his men forgot what is the position of our parliament and Opposition. We should have included the opposition’s stance on climate change to come up with a good bipartisan paper for Copenhagen.
We also did not need a big delegation of over 40 when half a dozen people should have been sufficient. It was morally wrong for the government to extravagantly burn several millions for this conference.
Considering the alleged eight million Kina for this conference, PNG has nothing beneficial to show for it.
The public should by now be in an uproar over their government’s spending millions for some greedy people to attend a conference that will not even reach any viable agreement. This is a total waste of money.
The people could have used this money in many needy areas. Our women have been crying out for a cancer machine for years. Teachers and nurses need a pay rise to meet the rising cost of living. PNG’s national security situation is appalling and needs much improvement.
With a tough year about to end, the people could do with some spare money now to enjoy a nice Christmas roast in this festive season.
Come on, Papua New Guineans, can’t you see they are laughing at our expense? Let us get rid of these greedy people in 2012.
Hi Malum,
ReplyDeleteI have throughly enjoyed reading your blog site during 2009. I have learnt a lot of stuff from what is being posted by you and many other people. I am very impressed with the interesting stories about the people,places, culture and the many colours of PNG.
Have also surfed through many other PNG related blogs before but I regard the Malum Nalu blog as the best PNG Blog around, and have promoted it to my many network of contacts in PNG and overseas to have a peek now and then.
Keep up the good work Malum.
To all our readers a Very Meri XMas and a Prosperous New Year.
God Bless.