What follows is Giorgio's original article.

POPULATION INCREASE NOT A NIGHTMARE

By Fr Giorgio Licini PIME - Catholic Reporter PNG

The recently released 2011 census figures point at a consistent population increase in Papua New Guinea as in many developing countries. The opposite trend is taking place in western societies now experiencing an aging population and decreasing number of children after a consistent growth following World War II. It may be interesting to notice how in their time they tackled the issue and what PNG can learn from their experience. There are at least three areas of interest.

The first refers to a massive development and maintenance of infrastructures. The works must be done properly. Under a mantle of road asphalt in Europe there are 30-50 centimeters of hard rocks. That way it is very hard for the pavement to just disappear and give way to deep pot holes. In a poorer country like the Philippines most of the roads are cemented. A technique that may be more expensive, but for a solution that lasts forever. Besides practical decisions, however, what really matters is that infrastructure is funded and really put in place based on a long term national plan. Massive corruption and diversion of funds is incompatible with national development.

A second area of concern is certainly education. While the western population was growing in the past decades, every child had to be in school. As often happens, an educated population becomes much less reproductive; to the point that some countries now worry about generation imbalance and decreasing number of children.

Job opportunities and houses also need to be provided. In a modern and urban set up fertility rates decrease when people start engaging in a more meaningful social life and become busy not only with work, but also with cultural, social and recreational activities.

Does family planning, contraception and the tragedy of abortion also contribute to population control? Certainly! But does Papua New Guinea need to rely on such practices to achieve its goal? It really doesn't seem to be the case. With still limited population and considerable internal resources and external help, PNG can easily plan to be a country of 30-40 million people by the end of the century, with a much stronger and diversified economy, just by stamping out corruption, instilling a better sense of discipline in its citizens and working hard for education, infrastructural development, and a crime free society.

Papua New Guinea has more natural resources than any European country. It is slightly smaller than France and bigger that Germany, which have 65 and 81 million people respectively. Papua New Guinea has only seven-eight million. Population will certainly increase. It will be a problem to address, but not a nightmare!

Source

• Supplied by Fr Giorgi Licini
• Image: Asopa

Licini told the news agency Agenzia Fides that the increase in population in Papua New Guinea is not a nightmare, but it can result in an encouraging prospect for growth and social and economic progress of the country.

The data of the 2011 census, published recently, show a lower rate of population growth of about 3.1 % per annum. Papua New Guinea is in line with many developing countries, while in the West there is a gradual ageing of the population.

Licini, said is not a problem or a "spectrum" for the country, as some observers argue, following the neo-Malthusian ideologies. "PNG does not need to promote family planning or practices such as contraception and abortion."

With a population which is still limited and with considerable internal resources, PNG can easily plan to become a country of 30-40 million people by the end of the century, with a much stronger and diversified economy", he said.

Source

• Agenzia Fides
• Image: Asopa

Licini was responding to a a speech made at National Covenant Day celebration in Goroka on Monday by the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, in which he once again praised the role played by the churches in Papua New Guinea.

O"Neill said Churches are reliable partners of the Government which help provide spiritual guidance.

He said "The churches and the government need to work together in spiritual unity to deliver services and guide the country towards God, we need good spiritual guidance,"

At the same time, Governor Julie Soso, reiterated the call "for a religion policy to be implemented for all Christian churches to remain in PNG while outlawing other religions" which, says Licini is " something about which for a start the Churches do not agree with at all!"

"The Churches also do not agree about the death penalty. They do not agree on the treatment reserved to the asylum seekers. They do not agree with many policies in the field of education. Neither they are happy with the way public funds are used and misused," says Licini

Source

• The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea
• The National
• Image: pngblogs

Last Friday, Hela province governor, Anderson Agiru, moved a motion to carry out a nationwide consultation on the question of religious freedom and whether to ban non Christian religions.

The motion was passed with the unanimous support of both sides of the House.

Le Parlement de Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée a lancé en fin de semaine dernière un débat concernant l'éventuelle déclaration du christianisme comme seule religion dans cet État mélanésien de sept millions d'habitants, avec en corollaire l'éventualité d'interdiction de tout autre forme de culte. Vendredi 12 juillet 2013, le Parlement papou a commencé par adopter à l'unanimité une motion visant à lancer une consultation nationale sur les questions de liberté du culte dans ce pays, avec l'intention de demander au peuple si les autres religions que le christianisme devraient ou pas être interdites.

"It is not by banning other faiths that we become more Christian," Father Giorgio Licini said in a statement posted on the bishops' website. "Christianity may well define some sort of cultural identity for modern Papua New Guinea and its 850 tribes; but never forget that true faith is something much beyond constitutional provisions, legal books, and even daily practices."

"Nobody can be prevented from professing his or her own beliefs both in a private and a public manner," Licini said.

In a statement before moving the motion, Agiru said the national pledge in the constitution specifically and unequivocally states that Papua New Guinea shall be a Christian country.

"The question of whether we allow other kinds of faiths to be introduced in Papua New Guinea is the question and that question now needs to be asked."

"For me when they say it's a Christian country it says God Trinity. That is what I believe in and that is what the constitution is promoting so in the end I want to see if the people of Papua New Guinea, the Churches and everyone agree that all forms of other religions which are not Christian must be banned from Papua New Guinea," Governor Agiru said.

"We are a very rich country and yet we still have beggars and hungry people on the street. People are dying every where. I think it is time we bring this country under God."

"The time is right for us in this ninth Parliament to write a new chapter in the national book. We cannot be people who write footnotes and simple sentences. The constitution of the country has been delivered to us and we now have to take it to the next level."

Source

• NewsPad Pacific
• The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea
• Courier Post
• Image: Lowyunterpreter.com