By Gino KOPA (UPNG Journalism Student), Post Courier

Development plans have consistently fallen short of achieving Papua New Guinea’s National Goals, says Former Treasurer Bart Philemon. Reflecting on over 50 years of progress, he highlights the gap between aspiration and practical outcomes.

“The five national goals and directive principles are mostly aspirational and have had limited practical relevance to the people of this country since 1975,” Philemon stated.

These goals were intended to serve as the foundational pillars upon which successive governments could transform PNG from a subsistence economy to a modern cash economy.

He emphasized that despite the lofty ambitions, the application of these goals has been inadequate.

“Over the past 50 years, development plans and strategies have not led to significant progress,” he lamented.

The expectation was that these plans would deliver tangible outcomes, but in reality, development indicators continue to worsen.

Philemon pointed out that the core challenge lies in resource allocation and implementation.

“Development plans are poorly resourced, lack fiscal discipline, and often suffer from overspending and unproductive expenditure,” he explained.

“There is an overreliance on mineral resources, which has not translated into sustainable development.”

Looking ahead, Philemon offered guidance on how to realign development efforts. “Development plans must be rooted in current, accurate statistical data,” he advised.

“They should incorporate key performance indicators that can be monitored monthly, ensuring that progress towards targets is on track throughout each five-year cycle.”

He concluded by emphasizing that only through disciplined planning, based on real data and consistent monitoring, can Papua New Guinea hope to fulfill its national goals and achieve meaningful development for its people.