IS INSANITY COMING TO BOUGAINVILLE?

I have read a letter to the editor of the Post Courier 13 October 2020 entitled "Toroama on a path to insanity?" 

It was the Letter of the Day with the anonymous writer PNG Tooth Tooth blaming the new President for everything.

The writer seems to have little understanding nor compassion for the problems of a nation that has just come through civil war. Pain and suffering runs deep.

The American civil war has left a deep mark on the North and South of America. Th civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina saw crimes against humanity that devastated families.

The conflict in Bougainville left 20,000 dead that reached across all families and clans.

Now the commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army is the president responsible for all people.

There is a parliamentary system which we hope helps to bring development to each electorate as occurs in Papua New Guinea.

Tooth Tooth makes a point about youth who were voters but children during the conflict. Those interviewed say they did not know the issues but will rely on the advice of ex-combatants and chiefs.

All nations at war have young people who will become the wise voters of the future. They will not be prepared to voice their opinions to strangers yet.

As a viable nation, Bougainville lacks the necessary infrastructure for primary, secondary and tertiary industries. Education is lacking in all areas with unemployment as a primary issue.

Panguna must be a festering sore that brings fear of further pollution of rivers. It was a key source of income.

There needs to be infrastructure development fairly across the island. This is the task of parliament and administrative bodies. Projects will employ labour that will be monitored at a local level.

Bougainville Government must not fall into the loan-trap of the Chinese Government that may involve taking assets for default, including Panguna mine.

Papua New Guinea is up to its neck in loans from China that may be to the detriment of the nation in the long term.

A strong component in Bougainville will be the women who restore their matrilineal rights and responsibilities. The Catholic Church stands as a strong unifying pillar supporting the Bougainville community.

Tooth Tooth says the people do not support the new President. That may well be an uneducated guess. He says it was to protect against the violence in a failed referendum. 

We must never forget the sigh of relief of PNG citizens when Sandline was blocked by PNGDF patriots including the present Leader of the Opposition.