The Boss and Master mentality must Be Eradicated!

Commentary by Nathan Dingu

While there are many Papua New Guineans rising right to the top of the corporate ladder in many institutions in PNG, I believe we are still more or less spectators especially in decision making in Papua New Guinea!

First and foremost, while privatization has been seen as the ‘way’ forward – how many of the ‘privatized’ firms will see a Papua New Guinean as the top manager i.e. Chief Executive Officer within the next five years.

Social Network Commentator, Nathan Dingu

We have many industries today in PNG and top firms in almost all sectors including mining, oil and gas, banking etc – how many of these have a training program that has an emphasis on training Papua New Guineans to lead these industries in this new millennium?

Indeed, we certainly do need certain expertise where Papua New Guineans cannot do certain themselves. However do we need it all of the time? Certainly not and I believe you will agree with me especially when there are so many students of so many schools attaining the highest level including Doctorates, Masters, and also Bachelors in our very own institutions in our own country.

Why then do we have so many foreign expatriates in our country at the top of the corporate world in Papua New Guinea?

There may be other reasons, but I believe we have been conditioned in a way that we ‘think’ that we require a certain expertise because ‘they’ do it so much better than us right? Right throughout our country whether it is intentional or unintentional, we conform to the idea that we do need a certain level of ‘foreign boss’ to dictate to us what is required of us to do because that is what we are used too.

And this has been happening since independence right to this very day and age we are living in. In almost every corporation – foreign ‘expertise’ are being brought in to run our institutions, run our corporations and run this country but the real question that we have to ask ourselves is the million dollar question: “Do we still need them?”

It is a proven fact that any one regardless of creed or color and any company or organization can be successful if they set their mind to it. Yes any corporation can succeed if they employ certain techniques that works, give their time, dedication, a proactive outlook and efficiency in producing quality results that require less action (thus less costs).

Why then do we still have ‘certain’ experts who are coming into this country by the hoards to become our managers, tell us what to do, and in most cases – after we teach them what to do?

Yes – it is a known fact that we have truck drivers, men who have been made redundant in their own countries, bar tenders who have little or no qualification in many of our institutions working over college degree workers etc.

Can Papua New Guineans rise up and take the challenge when required? Look around you – how many self made millionaires are there in Papua New Guinea? I’m sure you know some and I certainly do too. Why then do we need foreigners to run our corporations when it is ten times cheaper to employ a Papua New Guinean who can work ten times as hard too?

While many of us wish to ‘get on with our lives,’ ‘look after our children,’ and ‘have a beer’ – these are questions that we must ask ourselves one time or another!

Certainly – our forefathers (some of whom are still with us) have certainly brought this nation thus far. From political independence to economic independence but how about this new generation – have we come out of the colonial era ‘boss and master’ mentality

Or for that matter – do you want to rise to the pinnacle of the organization you are working in – Would you see yourself as the CEO of your organization or a top line manager in 5 to 10 years time?

It is time a new generation rises in Papua New Guinea – a generation that can stand up to any foreigner whether he/she be black, white, brown or blue. A generation that who can stand up and argue our case because we have the expertise to do it as well!

We must realize that it has been more than 40 years since the seal of self governance – we must see ourselves at the very same level as foreigners. We can call this country an independent nation but until we as Papua New Guineans can ‘live and play’ on the same playing field – we have still not come out of the “Boss and Yes Master” mentality.

You might be wondering why I have not mentioned the government – well isn’t it time we stop blaming our government for everything? We should take it upon ourselves to know our own laws – know ourselves and be able to step –up in any situation that comes to us with or without government support.

Once again – we as a new generation must rise up – we must rise up in every sector, whether it is private or public. We must realize that for every generation there is always a legacy. Our future generations will give us a name by what we accomplish

Our parents generation including that of the GC and Sir J have given us independence…what now are we going to accomplish?