The two dailies are owned by foreign interest, foreign corporate interest to be specific. Papua New Guinea does not own a daily, one that is at least controlled by a Papua New Guinean, one that reports issues of interest to Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guineans. What is reported instead is merely what sells, what suits the interests of those who control these entities and that which does not in anyway conflict with the interests of the stakeholders that influence the output of these entities.
During my election campaign, I spent many a day and many a night making my case to village elders and chiefs, informing them of what it was I believed in and wanted to do.
The red, black and gold, with a touch of the bird of paradise flew for the first time on Independence Hill, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on 16th September 1975. I was 6 months old, and, I had no idea what had just happened!
Papua New Guinea will celebrate 35 years of Nationhood today - 16th September 2010.
When the Whiteman first arrived our shores, our wantoks marveled at their tools, way of life and customs. They soon became part of their foreign policy, to spread their hegemony through colonialism. Using the strategy of in the first instance missionary out post, second to protectorate and than eventually to resource extractions, the machinery of development was totally for the Empire. Yep, we went under this conveyor belt as well, carving our great land to be one part for Wilhelm Kaiser and the other for Her Majesty.
The middle class in PNG seems to be preoccupied with a debate over whether the country should continue to look South to Australia and New Zealand for assistance or whether it is better to look North to China.
But, prompted and encouraged by Australia, China and Prime Minister Somare, they are asking the wrong question and thus they continually miss the answer to the question they should be asking which is how can PNG lift itself above its current problems and find a better way forward?
(Photo: The Global Poverty Project)
