Dear Editor,

Today is a day of change. You talk about the change in technology; the change in education; the change in the administrative processes; the change in the human belief system; the change in the thoughts and words; the change in the behavior and attitudes; the change in the actions; and above all the change in the choices individuals make.

The nation's workforces (workmen and workwomen) resorted to strike not because of dissatisfaction to production, but because of the necessity to distribution of resources. There are two important things I found out from my reading and self-study. One is to do with production of goods and services; the other one is to do with distribution of goods and services. Once there is imbalance of production and distribution processes in the system you would see and hear people start to raise questions about the quantity and quality of goods and services provided. One thing so special about human being is that they are physiological beings. They only need one thing above all and that is 'CARE'. You will not understand care if you do not know what sharing is all about, and you will not understand sharing if you do not know Maslow's hierarchy of needs that very much talked about meeting the basics of life.

From where I am, I must make it very clear that strike is not to be seen as non-compliance with any authoritative duties. Strike is another form of reform. Strike is decided upon based on the need to establish organizational formative processes (importance of supervision) between the government and its workers, as well as the need to establish strong summative judgment (importance of evaluation). If strike is a process of reform, then it is important to know that reform actually promotes change and change promotes development and development promotes improvement.

Working citizens took strike actions purposely to improve policies, procedures and promises. That's all, no more - no less. It is not about Solomon Islanders demanding increase in their salary to compensate for the high prices of goods and services. That is just only one single aspect of the call. The whole idea of strike action is to fulfill the commitments. What we need from our government now is good governance. Good governance is a total commitment that requires total responsibility.

When people are talking about good governance, they are actually referring to leaders and managers who are responsible to commitments. By being responsible to commitments, means that you are somebody who always walk the walk and talk that talk. It is nothing complicated than putting your words into actions. Excuses are excuses and commitments are commitments. Well, once you are mandated and made a commitment as a true leader for the people then you are supposed not to fool your own people by fooling yourself. We know that fools are those who always tell lies, who always steals, and who always cheat his own people. Remember, "you can fool some of the people all the time; all the people some of the time; but cannot fool all the people all the time". Thus, honesty is the only best policy. And to be honest in your dealings you only need to put God first, others second and self last.

Once Chinese philosopher and our Biblical teaching once said this: do for others what you want them to do for you.

May I now call upon our responsible government of Solomon Islands to address this issue quickly and let not the innocent citizens suffer.

May our Good Lord Bless our nation and our leaders.


JOHN IROMEA
UNIVERSITY OF GOROKA
PAPUA NEW GUINEA