I have read a lot of independent messages over the past from many outstanding Papua New Guineans who have fairly contributed to the nation in many aspects of development and decision-making. However, most commentaries appeared to be clichéd, whether in the context of empowerment, growth or progress. This has not only made people become lethargic readers but skipping such contents to look for more intrinsic features, let alone their individual preferences. As a consequence, it will be more ideal if impartial perspectives of all class of contributors are registered in the mindset of Papua New Guineans
It is also quite adverse in terms of gender equity that few women folks as role models have not adequately contributed, as well as the young men and women of this nation to comprehensively analyze our status quo and deliberate on the challenges that we face in all walks of our lives on this 35th Anniversary commemoration. It is on this note that I wish to also share my views on the challenges that we face as part of the younger generation.
I was quiet honored to attend, whilst in Canada, a Global Young Leadership Training on Change Initiatives in Toronto, as the only Papua New Guinean with some exceptional young leaders from Canada and United States whose attendance were by virtue of a highly competitive scholarship award. It was really a demanding one, but I am pleased that I did benefit as a participant and facilitator of the training. Although, I have travelled at length and met a lot of emerging leaders around the world but this one had a lot of impact on my conscience.
The training was to significantly broaden the scope of solutions and analyze the challenges that face young men and women that cannot be easily realized by people who are more dominant in the decision making process as well as the modes of production. It goes on to exemplify how the young global leaders are faced with the dilemma of procrastination. Issues discussed ranged from Fair Trade, which is becoming the talk of the global market, education, poverty alleviation, HIV AIDS, gender equity, development patterns, distribution of wealth and resources and leadership.
Taking part with a multitude of younger generation from the developed and well-advanced societies can be reasonably bizarre when your conscience carry an element of mediocrity. But whilst, the global strata of challenges are not equivalent in all aspects of development, the logic pursued in finding solutions appear to be universal in most instances. These younger generations are geared up to highlight what is bothering their conscience as a liberal way of empowering your leadership ability or just sharing their piece of mind, be it socialistic or laissez-faire.
As a young man or woman you would want to reflect on your personal experiences to draw a scenario which will then generate some form of empathy in mobilizing support. Or you would pursue an agenda that is driven on loose ground, which will eventually lead to your own demise. It sounds a bit undiplomatic, but the development equilibrium is such that the level of participation will not favor you if you are engrossed in an environment of preconceived ideas. Hence, insanity must never be an option over quiet observations and intellectual analysis.
Anywhere in the world where there is a democratic government the younger generation immediately departs from the conventional life style because of their personal liberties. Today through information and technology most homes in the western societies have more internet connections and the younger generations are privileged in boosting their level of communication and understanding. They know more about what you know about them and that is a huge challenge for many of us.
With the existing disparities in the advancement level of younger generations for a country like Papua New Guinea, a good number of young Papua New Guineans are not able to competently participate on a global scale, although few have done so on their own accord. Under a weak government Papua New Guinea cannot take the chances of the privileged and the underprivileged widening the poverty gaps as it will definitely empower elitism and denouncing the right of average Papua New Guineas to equity, liberty and justice.
Younger generations in the western world also have a fair advantage in being groomed under a conservative routine and being exposed to a non-conservative one. Conservativeness in this order is no longer traditional in its definition. For instance, while the parents work as an accountant for a multi national organizations like Reebok or a market analyst in Microsoft, whose spirit of enterprise are profit driven and more to do with global market domination, the kids are campaigning against poverty alleviation, third word debt reduction or combating the spread of HIV AIDS, promoting gender equity etc.
There are also cases where a parent is an ambassador to the United Nation working on a trade sanction against a country like Iraq while the daughter is simultaneously running a program on orphans in the same country. This kind of experiences cannot be widely replicated in this country because of the development planning oversight in the past 20 years. The standard of living in that part of the world only demonstrates a higher level of development that was driven by innovation and stern leadership focus based on research and determination. It also shows the benchmark and velocity that Papua New Guinea, as a competing nation must seriously take note, if we are to have a place in the global village.
Already many governments in Papua New Guinea have not seriously shown the desire to set the course for the future of the younger generations to be secured. Although, debates and proposals were pressing they never reached new heights other then habitual rhetorics. Perhaps it is an issue of redundancy replicated by a small minority at the helm of power for too long. The increase in the number of lawlessness, illiteracy, insecurity, under employment, HIV AIDS are some factors rightfully indicating no clear recipe pursued to realistically address the youth development. It goes on to demonstrate that youth population will not be captured in time to be put on the right development path.
It is indeed a scary thing to feel, when you say that 60 000 youths are entering the streets and homes of relatives every year with limited opportunities? Would it be scarier if all of this 60 000 people emerge again as deep-seated radicals? We must be mindful of the world’s development pattern on morality, ideology and faith as to why they have fluctuated on the fast lane of information superhighway!
The situation in Papua New Guinea as perceived by more literate and right thinking public is that many youths in the country are apparently becoming loose cannons in their own homes. It is a major catastrophe already in place when there are not enough opportunities and skills building programs. Most policy makers and legislators do not dwell on the periphery where the real battle is fought. Evidence has shown that there is a great deal of sweeping ignorance and indecisiveness on the part of representation and political decision-making.
There should no longer be trial and error approach continuing in the country with the future of the younger generation carelessly being mortgaged for the current short-term gains. Although analysts will argue that taking care of the system will ensure that the system takes care of itself - this cannot be the fixed proposition and scenario all the time. With the government system operating for 30 years, there will have been ample time for major reviews, and if the system is still under performing then obviously the proponents of the reviews were incompetent, ignorant or restricted by indecisive political control mechanisms.
There is indeed an enormous depth of misguided judgment and skewed modus operandi in putting together a development model for youth advancement. Papua New Guinea is becoming a society full of slanted discipline whereby parents are not too passionate in promoting a certain tolerable code of conduct motivated by obedience and respect. This has led to a very distorted order of human management where the set practices cannot be fully accepted and accomplished.
Most parents are no longer in control of their own children and it makes it more obnoxious with limited opportunities. Walk on the streets and witness the kids carelessly swearing and smashing tin cans in the middle of the roads even as their mothers are busy monitoring the “buai” market and randomly calling out. Even parents are defending their children when they are guilty and are not willing to educate them about how they should plan for their future. The standard of living is so bad and the children’s ability to distinguish right from wrong is so thin that everything is just right.
In any comparative analyses, there needs to be an instant aggressive shift somewhere along the line within the nation’s economic, political and social structure, where a stronger focus must be given to the younger generation to be constructively groomed to play a greater role in nation building. It is imperative that we must produce young men and women who are not only intelligent but disciplined and competitive in balancing the global trend of participation and decision-making. There are more opportunities for young men and women but complacency on the part of sloppy and unprofessional people have always deprived participation and equal benefits.
The world is tough but people cannot be unreasonably held at ransom because a degree of one’s inability as a decision maker is a conduit for disaster! What do you seriously do as a government to the increasing number of men and women bombarding streets and villages ready to prey on people? Do you ask them to go home because they are vagrants? Or do you tell them that you are a hardworking Christian and not their ideal target? Obviously there cannot be a youth pension scheme because they are at the peak of their energy.
The leaders of this nation ought to be liable for not doing enough. It is also a question of upholding some disgraceful principles in selecting leaders who are chronically manifested with outdated skills and knowledge on integral human development. This is a changing world and if leaders are deficient in real prudence and contemporary acumen of fit and proper person test then they should totally avoid such roles and responsibilities.
This is an argument that must find its way into the conscience of the decision makers and leaders. We have to perceive leadership based on current strengths and well-calculated vision based on professionalism, right experiences, and in-depth exposure. Development leadership is not about euphoria and middlemen fight with no real essence to the core function of the anticipated challenges to warrant ones contention. Many people jump the gun and continuously spoil the broth when they cannot even understand the systematic and systemic layout of the country’s strengths and weaknesses.
Perhaps it is time that the level of scrutiny currently enjoyed must be raised above the cutting edge. Not taking such measures is becoming a serious hindrance in adequately representing a modern society and keeping up to date with the speed of development. As a result, there is further room for gross incapacity to motivate the right compliance towards triggering the appropriate adjustments. Even in job recruitment, promotion and recognition there is less willingness by the existing regime, who are disinclined because they develop the tendency of ownership based on personalities. And this is where recycled ideas and leadership tend to extremely affect the gradual process of change.
The impact of the country’s management has truly demonstrated poor planning on the future of the youths of this country. Thus, it is only proper that the youths of this country must now mobilize in their own communities through awareness and formulate strategies that will bring more better educated and professionally trained leaders and managers to take the reign on our nation’s leadership in all aspects of development. People who do not fit into such requirements can do well in other areas but perhaps it is time to move on.
The business of a blind leading a blind must cease in all forms. There is no better solution than shouldering the responsibilities and making a difference. It is a clear cut issue that the people managing the country are relaxed and do not understand the complexities surrounding the difference that this country was 30 years ago and what is expected of today.
Seriously the image of this country overseas is just not encouraging and everybody knows that. The instances of tourists being attacked in the country tend to further destroy our potential as a holiday destination. The increase in law and order problem all boil down to one issue and that is not disciplining and providing enough opportunities for the younger population.
Obviously when you are not productive within the family unit the spotlight is turned on you as a liability. In the process there is a level of rejection and the mood is bad that you can no longer enjoy the privileges as a one-time high school student. With no technical skills and unwillingness to support you in furthering you education, one feels more inclined to be part of a group to find common ground.
Perhaps a bit of sports may relieve you from time to time, but the danger begins when you start worrying about your dinner and bus fare. These are classical experiences that have turned the much energized youthfulness within a failing leadership into an emerging beast that the society is not able to contain anymore.
On a level-plying field let us face it as we are all dealing with a dominant force. Take a look at the bigger picture on how the country will be like if a good majority of the youth population succumbs to the power of drugs and alcohol. There is no guarantee that all the children will not taste marijuana or consume homebrew before they are 18 years old. The aftermaths of continuous engagement to take time off from reality based on false hallucinations has led many into mental retardation. Such damages are irreparable and pose more risks to our own homes and the community at large. People cannot lie and argue that the youth problem is not that bad.
It is so disgusting and totally ridiculous to see that policy makers are not prepared to make some hard decisions on these issues. Somebody must be held responsible and of course parents are the first. But definitely the blame must equally lie with the legislators for not doing enough in addressing the problem and providing realistic solutions as their given responsibilities. If the society is ignorantly managed by people who are not willing to address this issue then they are despots, whose interests are not communal and not only deserve a crack in their status quo but should have the carpet pulled under their feet.
It is in total agreement that the youths must take control of their destiny. If their voices cannot be heard and properly represented in all aspects of decision-making then the onus is on the youths to take the initiatives. But the same mistakes must not be repeated, youths must unite and aggressively promote young professional leaders who will without doubt know where the real challenges are and what kind of answers are there and prepared to make some hard decisions.
There is absolutely nothing wrong in becoming leaders in the communities. Youths can better represent our mothers and fathers, families and communities at large and they know where the real challenges are and how best they can resolve to address them than any other people. The youth population must say no to the recalcitrant characters who are not only mishandling their affairs and destroying their future, but have fallen short of experiencing the right challenges that the younger generation face which are capable of cognitively arousing their vision.
One will notice that the youth population is not interested in people advocating a “textbook approach” with limited practical exposures in developing solutions. At no point in time did the government initiate a better deal for the bulk of the youth population. There is a concept on National Youth Service already in existence in other countries and the model is good for this nation. The concept must be seriously incorporated in our development strategies as soon as possible. I am sure integrated training and skills building programs can be developed to effectively address the current youth problems. It is also amazing that no national models have effectively captured the issues on youth development when the so called advisors are writing heaps of policy proposals.
The younger generations have the energy, spirit of enterprise and determination to undergo such programs. This program if implemented is destined to enhance skills building, self-empowerment, discipline and constructive participation in the nation building process. In United States, it is referred to as National Service. Whilst the concept is attractive in nature, other organization must now come forward to tap into this proposal and expand on it.
However, the Global Young Leadership Training on Change Initiatives was indeed an eye opener and many issues discussed are painful but realistic. At the same time the information shared are relevant for the many young Papua New Guineans to know and advocate for a change. Hence, discussions here are basically what was extensively discussed that made me able to also compare how the present system is shaping up for the next 30 years. People say that we are the leaders of tomorrow and yet faced with the dilemma of comprehensively focusing on current strengths, which do not appear to exist at all for the majority.
We are creating a society that is weak and fragmented for the average Papua New Guineans to live in and compete for limited resources and opportunities, although this country is small. Whilst the issue of good governance and accountability are dominant today, we must ask the question on what is really there for the bulk of the population, especially the younger generation.
Apparently, the oversight or “mixed paper talk” in the development planning will become the nightmare of managing tomorrow as demonstrated, and if that is the development matrix then youths in the country must mobilize and aggressively unite for a change. In doing so, will provide the opportunity for more young professional people to take the lead and manage the development and future of this country in the best possible way. Let’s do away with people who are incompetent in all aspects of incompetency and offer ourselves as potential leaders of tomorrow by taking the challenges head on and setting the foundation.
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