Economic implication on PNG Demographics: PNG MIDDLE CLASS.

JEFFERY LEVONGO

The vast majority of young, people in this country are too busy trying to settle themselves and their families i.e. buying a house or car that they are not too keen on getting involved in the social and political issues.

We are all hungry. We all want to make millions etc. This is because we are a product of our demographic development.

Our parents were the first/second generation after contact with the white man. White man brought the western culture where wealth & status is measured in money. This mentality has taken over our culture. Mokas and bride price had a cultural significance of building relationships and was such that every man had a chance to do this – pigs can be raised by anyone with some land. Now everything is measured in money and leadership is bought by money, hence the lavish mokas and bride prices by people with access to large amounts of cash. So for the third generation (born around the late 70’s early 80’s) after contact – we are focused on making as much money as possible, because this is how to be a man. Without money now, you are nothing.

So with these driving forces operating on our youthful psyche, we have no time to meaningfully contribute to social developments. We don’t have the opportunity to pursue our innate gifts. We are too busy with work – making money. Therefore, corruption and corrupt leadership will continue exist & prosper.

A trend is that, you will find people in this generation who are pursuing careers far from what they originally intended. For example, you will find a person who was gifted in music or painting but has chosen to follow a path in accounting because that is the only way he/she will get paid. We are not fulfilling our innate destiny for the sake of economic necessity.

I see this as an inevitable development; it seems that when the third generation gets into their forties and fifties, we will see the development of a solid middle class. It is the children of this middle class who will drive PNG forward. By then, they will have been exposed to western consumerism and there will be nothing more that they want. They will be better educated; they will look to fulfilling their dreams and will not be driven by economic motivation alone.

A man does not look at a situation rationally when he is hungry. So to the situation now, we are not looking at what is happening in PNG rationally. The legal system being hijacked, corrupt deals in the corridors of power. Unfortunately, this is a legacy for our children. So my word of advice, work hard, save up and give our children a good education. Speak to them of ideals of democracy, destiny. Where we go will be in their hands.

Jeffery Levongo is a blogger and writes over at The Papua New Guinea Futurist, He writes on changes happening in Papua New Guinea what might happen so PNG leaders & general public can make better decisions.