Hard work is the key
By WILSON SAENI
in Auki
Malaitans are urged to do away with the “handout mentality” and work hard to lift and progress the province.
Premier Daniel Suidani stated this in an interview with the Sunday Star.
“I’ve noted Malaitans are now cultivating and accepting the ‘handout mentality’, an attitude that is uncharacteristic of Malaitan in the past,” Suidani said.
“As a result of this, their attitude to work is also changing,” he added.
“This handout mentality is crippling into Malaita and slowly wiping out the great character that Malaitans in the past possessed.
“Malaitans before don’t believe in handouts. They only believed in hard work in order to survive.”
Suidani appeals to Malaitans to reclaim that spirit of hard work and hold on to that character, which he said is a gift from God.
He warned Malaita will continue to lag behind in terms of development if its people shun hard work and resort to the handout mentality.
“The handout mentality is making people lazy and refusing to work.
“This is unacceptable because Malaitans were taught from their childhood that hard work makes you a man.
“So I am calling on chiefs, church leaders, community leaders, youth leaders, leaders in the provincial government, national leaders, and academics to wake up and realize the fact that we are stepping in an unfamiliar direction which is not only different but unacceptable in our culture.
“Relying on aid and other people to come and build us is not in our DNA, building ourselves and being self-sufficient is what our ancestors put in our DNA.
“It is time that we go back and reclaim this very vital aspect of our character to support our survival.”
Suidani said Malaita Province needs this practical character now than ever.
“I am not saying Malaita Province is against aid because a genuine help from a helping hand with good intentions will be highly welcomed.
“But we must be in the front line in the struggle to build Malaita Province and to uplift the standard of living in our rural communities.
“We must work and continue to work together and work smarter for the good and betterment of our people.”
He thanked previous government and leaders for taking Malaita to this far.
But he said he wants his government and the current generation to rise up to the challenge the take Malaita to the next level.
“Our culture has defined it clearly and properly that anyone who only waits to receive without working will always depend on others for his/her survival.
“Sadly, those who he or she depended on will always control the dependent.
“We must not allow that to take root in Malaita.”
