The NationalLetters
THERE is an enormous opportunity for Papua New Guinea to advance economically should the right people are mandated to properly utilise our resource in the best way possible for the benefit of our people.
I do not know if people realise the potential we have to generate millions with our resources.
Because of the lack of wisdom and proper foresight, we have been stuck in our same struggles with high unemployment and high taxes.
The people are treated as if the Government has no other option but to squeeze money out of them through taxes.
Our leaders should be wise enough to utilise and maximise our resources for everyone’s benefits.
How have we benefited from the many shipments of Papua New Guinea’s oil and gas?
Do we have the agriculture potential to produce and encourage domestic large-scale farming and entrepreneurship to minimise imports?
How have we benefited from our gold?
Our resources are supposed to benefit us and improve the economy, not tax and borrowing.
We are not getting the most out of our resources.
This is something of great concern.
We are trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty and nothing is done to improve the situation, but all the Government does is keep increasing taxes, borrowing every years and increasing MPs’ benefits.
MPs continue to provide useless updates in the media, sign meaningless agreements and challenge each other instead of working towards bringing meaningful change. Some immerse themselves in a pool of confusion and lose sight of their purpose.
We have the potential to depend on agriculture, fisheries, oil, gas, timber, tourism and other resources, but we cannot enjoy the benefits they bring unless we have leaders who can do a better job. We have more than enough to make this country one of the wealthiest in the world.
If a country such as Singapore can support itself through a single commodity such as tourism, just imagine how better off we can be with our resources.
Is taxation the only option we have?
Is borrowing the only option we have?
We should be benefiting from our resources.
There is no logic in taking back PNG with our resources given away to thieves.
We need leaders with wisdom.
Tony Guan,
Kondan Baundo-Simbaix