MD, Mitre Pacific PNG Ltd
trading as MPL Transport Madang
Western Highlanders are proud, self-centered, hardworking, independent, egocentric and business minded people. They believe in education and wealth distribution through community obligations and challenges. They take ownership of their problems and resolve through dialogue and compensation.
They take pride of their own heritage and always cherish their identity. They are never afraid or ashamed of speaking their language when ever they congrate or meet up with another Hagener.
They never take issue with people who are jealous of their achievements or being jealous of others who succeed. They try to improve their own lives by working hard. They do not dwell on things that will not benefit them or waste their time and resources on lazy people.
Through hardwork, they have succeeded in education, business and politics. The country talks about Western Highlanders and even try to imitate the way hageners do things and some succeeded. These traits are gifts from God and Western Highlanders enjoy and hold dear to their hearts , however these traits are now eroding as new social influence impacting the Western Highlands society.
Some of these notable influences are listed below and explained in detail as subject headings respectively.
1. Politics and political puppeteer synonyms
2. Uncontrolled influx of people from troubled provinces.
3. Increase in school drop outs.
4. Lack of vision and foresight by the provincial government, governors.
5. Lacking team work from District open Members and Governorship of the province.
1.) Politics and political puppeteer synonyms.
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In politics, there has been a new trend of support. Politicians have brainwashed their supporters to a certain degree that they become puppet to their masters. Often they are referred to as this politicans man/women or people. They are his supporters and belongs to them only..
The political master tend to own them and controlls them as he please. The supporters are often enticed through money and promises into following them like crazy. The supporters can even commit serious crimes on their behalf include killing, burning down buildings and government properties such as schools, hospitals etc and get away with it because of the political immunity granted by the puppeteer. (or so it seems as if they are above the law when law enforcement officials taking side as well)
The new trend is very dangerous and will eventually destroy the community relationships and kinsmanship forged by our ancestors. The feeling of being as one Western Highlands People is threatened by this new political puppeteering.
2.) Uncontrolled influx of people from troubled provinces.
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Western highlands provincial capital, Mt Hagen has experienced exponential growth in population and mostly due to influx of people from troubled provinces including Hela, Southern Highlands, and Enga.
People flee their homes and villages from neighboring Province's to Mount Hagen to escape from tribal conflicts and lack of adequate services.
In the process, the urban squatter settlements double and quadruple putting pressure on the town and existing government services and infrastructure.
The provincial government lacks the resources and manpower to curb such increase and the ever illegal movement of people spills over to the streets of Mt Hagen city.
Such is evident in the increase in people at the main market doing blackmarkets on local products, youths engaging in casual helping hands known as "taxies". The bus stops have what is now known as K5.00 buscrews, or bonus drivers. The town is flooded with street sales as population trying to make ends meet to sustain their livelihood in the settlements
One such result is the sprouting out of informal markets such as Standboom, animal market, kaiwe, okapana, kamnga and kalakai...there are also increase in table markets and liquor shops in every settlements. Notoriously, the sites also peddle sale of contraband and illegal substances including Marijuana, pornographic CD 💿, pirated music and movies, etc.
These are telling signs of an overcrowded town or city and needs immediate government attention. This is a time boom and if left to incubate and grow, it will eventually root in and systemise making it hard for the authorities in the years to come.
We need new city development plan to expand the city outwards and control the expansion of illegal squatter settlements.
3) Increase in school drop outs.
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With the National Government's inconsistenticy in Education System by introducing Education reforms, Western Highlands Province experiencing drastic number of drop outs from grade 8, 10 and 12.
These ever increase in drop-outs are not only experienced in the urban areas but back in the villages as well. With the increased school age children pushed out onto the streets, settlements, village and communities. The increasing, unemployment gives birth to criminal and illegal activities. This adds on to an existing problem compounding on over the years and if nothing is done about it, the need for survival will trigger a catastrophic scene where business and investment in the province will be affected and most notable companies will not invest in the province. This will mean, the quality and standard will drop significantly.
Provincial leadership must take ownership in addressing these catastrophic scenarios and prevent it...the signs are already out and if not controlled, it will be too late.
4.) Lack of vision and foresight by provincial government officials and Governors prudent leadership. The officials corrupt the system tarnishing the Governors leadership.
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When a new political head wins in the National Election, the supporters storm the provincial government office, claiming any position they choose weather qualified or not. The sad fact is government services are adversely affected because of:
a) lacking skills and knowledge of the position occupied by the individual appointed because of political affiliation.
b) Disruption to project deliveries because of variations in foresight of development agendas. When a new Governor takes office, him and his provincial executive officer's redraw the provincial plan and priorities projects to suit their own political survival in the next election and for go the predecessors projects which often left incomplete or not funded and as a result public monies wasted and squandering without tangible outcome for the benefit of the mess of the population.
c) People who take up office through scrupulous means often try their best search out for opportunities to short-cut the public accounting and audit process to enrich themselves. They cut out deals to suit their own interests by writing out their own contracts or at best cook up deals to entertain their friends and relatives who inturn will give them something. Such includes hiring of car's, building contracts, road and bridges built to substandard as contracts are given to inexperience contractors. Inflated costing and quotations for procuring government goods and services often getting approved so they can get something out of the provincial budget.
NOBODY WANTS TO DEVELOP THE PROVINCE BUT LOOKS FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ENRICHE THEMSELVES.
5. Lacking team work from District open Members and Governorship of the province.
With the introduction of PSIP and DSIP fundIing by the National Government, most open Members of the province tend to develop their own district development plans without properly coordinating with the provincial government. Those Parlimenterians or open Members tend to act on their own without liaising with the provincial government and public servants on the ground. The funds are disbursed to suit their own political ambitions and political survival tomorrow more than developing the districts and setting up sustainable development pathways integrating provincial government objectives as the owners of the province to manage and sustain over the years.
More over, it's often preached by politicians preaching services deliveries mentioning Education, Health, Road & Bridges and small businesses. The mentioning of these notable social influences are the very reason why the local MP is voted in at the first place and its in their duty statement to implement without much fanfare or ground breaking.
Western Highlands Province has four open Members and who supposed to be working closely with one Regional Member who is known legally as the Governor and they are. 1. Tambul Neblyer 2. Mul Bayer lumusa 3. Di Council and 4. Hagen Central. and the Governor is the man in charge of the province.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
The following conclusion and recommendations are purely my own thoughts on how we as elite Western Highlanders should help to contribute in the discussion to improve the provincial Government's performance.
The following thoughts are in the order of issues raised in this article.
1. Politics and political puppeteer synonyms should not be encouraged by politicans and those who aspire to be politicans. Allow the people to exercise their freedom of movement and let their culture heritage that links them through marital relationships or kinsmanship through blood links flourish. Our culture and society is forged on such relationships and disturbing that will divide up the fabric of our culture so my suggestion to those who wana be politicans should refrain from using threatening means to suppress the poor people.
2. Uncontrolled influx of people from troubled provinces. As a provincial capital of the Highlands Provinces, people will flee from conflicts to seek refuge in Western Highlands and there is nothing we can do about it. on the contrary, those who are migrating in fear of reprisals from enemies will always bring along with them their bags of trouble with them and that must be controlled. As a responsible big brother to other Highlands Province, the Western Highlands Provincial Government should set up a refuge processing system. At every border post, those migrating in should be identified, and processed so to have a raw data of people moving in to the province. Gatherings information will help to solve a lot of problems including housing, land, spaces in schools, Hospitals, shopping centers and expensions of city development plan.
The Government must know the number of people the province is handling at any one time. That also includes the city becoming overcrowded so my suggestion is an establishment of boom gate to process influx of refugees and immigrants should give a raw data of the number of people moving in and out of the province to manage and off course develop the province.
We can not say no to the freedom of movement but we can manage them through these means.
3. Increase in school drop outs every year is a serious problem that should be addressed through a sustainable development spectrum. The problem is a National issue but as a responsible Provincial Government, it must look for means and ways to eradicate the school drop outs from Western Highlands. By effectively managing school drop outs, the law and order issues will also be eradicated. Crime is committed by people and once young people are put in to schools or given so purposes in life, there will not be wasted body available to steer up trouble and cause law and order problem for the province.
to alleviate these growing pandemic, as for Western Highlands Province, I recommend that
a) The provincial government should encourage the establishment of training institutions in the province. This includes technical colleges, teachers colleges, school of Nursing, and TIVAT College.
b) The provincial government should embark on establishing a University in the Province with specific field of studies. I have discussed these issues with Divine Word University President, Fr Dr Phil Gibbs and Governor Wai Rapa already to see if we can set up a sister university in the province and negotiations are underway. If all goes well, an announcement will be made shortly.
c) The Provincial Government should rehabilitate Ati Agriculture College and upgrade it to a University in the field of Agriculture research and Technology. Western Highlands Province is Naturally fartil for crops, an Agriculture University would really encourage the people to boost the Agriculture sector.
d) Encourage and support International Companies to come and establish officers in the province. Mining and petroleum companies operating in the Highlands provinces should be encouraged to set up their headquarters or branches in Western Highlands capital. This also includes manufacturing companies and Food processing companies to set up in Western Highlands. With increased business activities, the unemployment problem will be solved.
obviously, solving on problem will trigger another and hence services will return to the provincial capital of the Highlands Provinces.
4. Lack of vision and foresight by the provincial government, governors has been a major problem that affected the development of our province. The provincial government workforce or public servant should not be politicized by people with vested interest. Once a governor is elected, the people who are working for the provincial government should not be changed. The positions occupied by respective officers should be people with qualifications and allowed to continue.
Any programs embarked on by the previous regime should be continuously funded because the public funds have been committed and it's only proper to see to its fruition.
Any conflict of interest should be identified and prosecuted. Public servants must serve the province and not to see this as their opportunity to siphon money through illegal means to enrich themselves or their relatives.
It is in the best interest of our people and the province that our provincial public servants should lead by example. Life is short and when you have the opportunity to make a difference, do it for the province and not for yourself.
5. Western Highlands Province will not develop if open Members play politics and do not align themselves with Provincial Government development plan. The Districts will also need the support of the provincial government workforce to sustain services made available through their local MPs funding.
I recommend that all four members representing Western Highlands Province must act and behave for the interest of Western Highlands Province as a whole and abstain from operating in isolation.
Thank you all for reading and commenting. Any errors or omission are unintentional.
for contact purposes regarding this article, please contact me on telephone 72767743 or email address mpltransport2016@gmail.com.
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