2017 should be a year when foreign media take a fresh look at Papua New Guinea and move beyond the old stereotypes.
In his New Year message, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said: “While some foreign media might like to pick up on isolated incidents and try to make them seem mainstream, all who live in our communities know that Papua New Guinea is a country that is changing.
“We do not have the problems of past decades and life is constantly improving around the nation.”
The PM stated that we have so much work ahead to continue to share the benefits of development, but the country is moving in the right direction.
“2017 will again be a year of growth and development for Papua New Guinea,” O’Neill said.
“I invite foreign journalists to be a part of this development, to get out from behind closed doors and to really visit our communities and get to know the people of our diverse nation.
“Papua New Guinea is an amazing country with so many interesting stories to tell."