Viewing from a Point

By Nathan Matbob Know the past...learn from it, Live the present...make it better and; Look ahead into the future...strive to achieve the best. Life experiences can make or break ones future, and we as rational beings (or so we think) have to go through this process all throughout our lives. Hence, our past shapes the kind of life we live today, therefore it determines the kind of future we may have. However, it is not always the past that can determine the kind of future we achieve. Although the influence can be insurmountable depending on the circumstances, there can always be room for change or a complete turn around. Some folks would often say "Its been in my family for generations, its a curse..." That in itself is a direct self curse because that is how one can predetermine the kind of life he or she will live in the future. The determination of our future is very much dependent on what we do now. If we are job seekers; we will be job seekers for

The 2012 National Elections has passed and a new government has been formed. The parliament has now been boosted with the inclusion of some very experienced and respected citizens of the state, but we can just say "let see how they perform in this term". Madang has new faces in the likes of Madang Open Member and Police Minister Hon. Nixon Duban and Member for Usino Bundi Anton Yagama. Welcoming back two  former politicians are Hon. Tommy Tomscoll (Middle Ramu) and now Madang Governor Hon. Jim Kas. With them include returning members Hon. John Hickey (Bogia), Ken Fairweather (Sumkar) and James Gau (Rai coast). So where is the journey from here now? Madang people have been so far spectators and observers in their own land. We see big multi million dollar deals being signed and are underway like the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone and Ramu Nickel Mine. Japan and New Guinea Timber (JANT) company has been operating since the 1970s. So far, the Madang Provicial Governmen

Ever had those moments when you feel that you just do not know what will happen next? Well, for many people who are at a stage of transition from one phase in life to another there is bound to be that unpleasant surreal feeling. Take final year students for instance (primary, secondary and tertiary), they apply out to their desired institutions that they want to go, they believe they have done enough to secure a place or position, or may be they have lost faith in themselves...whatever the feeling (you would know what I'm talking about). And then there are small hiccups that aggravate the situation, not necessarily relating to the build up of the anxiety but little incidents or delays that would make one more than nervous or wanting to give up.  These are little testers in life that can either bring the best out of a person, or drive the person to the brink of, or perhaps outright failure. And there is this saying "There's a light at the end of the tunnel"  however

The informal economy of PNG is a thriving sector, it is a sector which has the potential to boost and drive the entire economy of PNG. We can talk about mining and its huge benefits, but in the long run, it is unsustainable.  Here are just some ideas I came up with of creating some ministerial portfolios which I believe would address the formal and informal economy domestically in PNG. I suggest that there should be three more ministries added to the current number of ministries in the parliament’s executive arm of government. Just as well, I also propose an idea to abolish a ministry which I believe is a waste of public money to keep it functioning. These are just view points from my thoughts. The Ministry for Internal Migration and Settlements Being that internal migration will become an issue for development in Papua New Guinea, it is important that there should be a ministry set up to address this. We are now seeing the effects of settlement problems in the urban centres a

There is this social identity trend developing subconciously among young males. "Em boi yah" "Yu  boi stret" "Bata boi man"...are a few popular remarks I receive from friends. This social identity is very much asociated with male youths, and in Madang, this has become so popular. The thing that intrigues me about this 'boi' identity among male youths is the general awareness of its existence without us realising its influence on young males. I believe that it has become a subconciously institutionalised form of social identity. Young boys which I often associate with often would call me a 'boi' or 'boi man' every now and then I come across them. Even if walking past a group of boys having conversation, they would always refer to each other in that kind of language. It is a complementing remark as boys would often commend one and other for doing something seen as good or accepted in the eyes of their peers. "ah yu boi stret&quo