Resources owners in this country are the people of PNG but yet, when it comes to harvest sales, the country and the landowners get ‘peanuts’, says the National Doctors Association president.
Dr. James Naipao, as a concerned citizen, says Papua New Guinea has lost a lot and will continue to do so.
“Harvesters of our resources, who are foreign owned companies and corporations, are also given the majority of the harvesting and sales cuts, resulting in giving less than two percent of the profit or sales return to the resource owners who have been custodians to these resources for thousands, if not millions, of years.
“This is a mammoth slap and defeat in the eyes of everyone, and truly, it is an act of thievery. There must be an urgent reversal of these decisions and declarations,” stated Dr Naipao.
“The rape and siphoning of our all renewable and nonrenewable resources since the 1800s up to now by colonizers and developers have had a long lasting negative impact in this country.
“PNG has lost billions of dollars, and if not trillions, since the 1800s to the present day.
“The country is now experiencing the negative side of it and it has been worsening in the last ten years.”
The doctor said to make matters worse, the influx of Chinese and Indo-Asians ashore to be employed in jobs and run simple businesses that Papua New Guineans can do is a huge slap in the face.
“Why is the Immigration Department and Work Permit Division in the Labour Department allowing this uncontrollable influx that is having an eventful unsatisfactory outcome for national workers and businesses?
“And, to further make matters even very challenging for the young nation, PNG is now experiencing being colonized for the second time in our short history, and this time being colonized by the ‘Chinese Money’, and that, it will on the long run have a catastrophic effect. Antagonists will think otherwise.
“China might own the economy of Papua New Guinea one day. Papua New Guinea must be cautious of this avoidable outcome. Africa and Sri Lanka have sadly felt this,” added Dr Naipao.
“For our depleting resources, with the least of the returns, we alone can change the course of that for a better tomorrow.”
He said landowners must have automatic equity in the resources development even if they do not contribute cash.
“Their cash is the resource their have. They should have 20-30 percent ownership of projects.
“PNG Government and provincial government can share the 30-40 percent and the developer to get 40-50 percent. Is the distribution wrong? No, it is not.
“We own the resource(s). And, why are resources owners crying every now and then? The answer is right in front of us, yet we feel it is complicated and undoable. The resource owners’ pain, sufferings and cries will be reflected in the talk and actions, yet we are blind.
“Why is the Panguna Mine closed? Why are roads being dug and big machines burnt in Hela Province?
“Why are the landowners in New Ireland Province worrying about the first ever undersea mining in the world, and its seabed used as a guinea pig?
“This nation needs good leadership that puts people first, fears people, accepts defeat and admits wrongs.
“The country does not need leaders that are reckless, corrupt and falsely glorify God.
“Leaders who believe in the abilities of Papua New Guinea are caring leaders.”
(File picture of locals in Morobe Province)