A disaster involving VIPs might see PNG authorities respond better to national emergencies writes THE MASTER MARINER
I
have come to observe one fundamental conclusion about my country and its
incompetent civil servants or authorities.
Whenever
there is a serious air incident in the country, the Civil Aviation Authority and
third level airlines take their time both in rescuing the crash victims and following
up with proper official investigations.
CAA
releases details of investigations (if any) even after years have passed. It is
a worrying feeling for the people.
This
one [the Kokoda air crash] is fast because the Australian authorities don't
stuff around with red tape like we do, because it also involves Australian
lives, and because money is no object.
Australian
authorities will use all the resources at their government's disposal to speed
things up to the point where our government authorities are placed in a
position where they have no choice but to act fast under the circumstance.
Our
own authorities deny ordinary citizens of PNG quick action when nationals are
involved and give the impression they do not really care enough about our own
people.
This
is not only due to lack of resources, but is also a direct result of poor
inter-agency coordination and general incompetency by those involved.
I
feel frustrated read of other plane crashes where PNG authorities have not done
the right thing by families who have lost their pilot sons and daughters and passengers.
No
big fanfare by anyone and they hope their memories will fade over the passage
of time.
What
irony we have in PNG.
With
all our wealth and resources, we still cannot act professionally and fast
enough to do the right thing in a national emergency.
The
media people keep reporting this but the powers-that-be still have not learnt
their lessons, perhaps until some so-called big men fall from the skies and a
plane full of National Executive Council members goes missing in the clouds and
in the sticks of Timbuktu.
There
will other similar incidents in future because we have not really learnt from
our past.
It’s
time the government treated major air incidents and other national emergencies in
a proper manner. Do you see it too?
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