There is ENOUGH

Panel Discussion on the Care for our Common Home

• Abigail Seta

 

CBC, Gordons: The Caritas Papua New Guinea (CPNG) Commission under the Catholic Bishops Conference hosted a panel discussion that focused on climate change on Friday, 22nd March. 

 

The Panel Discussion had as its theme: ‘There is Enough,’ the panelists at the discussion were Peter Mariambe, Manam Care Centre; Henry Konaka, Manam Association Leader, Port Moresby; Jacob Ekinye, Director Adaptation and Projects, Climate Change and Development Authority; Joseph Tobung and Peter Salei from the Diocese of Bougainville and Matthew McGarry, Caritas Relief Services. 

 

Present at the program was Bp Rochus Tatamai, CCBC President, Bp Joe Rosenski, Bishop of Wevak, CARITAS representatives from different Dioceses, government, church leaders, student from Don Bosco Technical School, Gabutu and St. Charles Lwanga, Gerehu. 

 

The discussion highlighted issues related to our common home and focused specifically on the issue of the Manam Islands in Madang Province and Cartaret Islands in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. 

 

Speaking for the people of Manam was Manam Association Leader in Port Moresby, Henry Konaka who spoke on the issues faced and what needs to be done.

 

“There has been a lot of advocacy to seek government attention but there have been poor results,” stated Henry Konaka. 

 

“It is time for us, partners in humanity to work hand in hand with the people of Manam, the authorities in Bogia and Madang and the national government to bring tangible change to the welfare and well-being of our people.”

 

Representing the Climate Change and Development Authority was the Director of Adaptation and Projects, Jacob Ekinye. He spoke on the tasks that they do and how they address the issue of climate change. 

 

The discussion also saw representatives from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Joseph Tobung and Peter Salei where they spoke on Cartaret Island and the many problems faced over the past decades.

 

Also speaking of climate change on a global scale was Matthew McGarry, a Sub-Regional Country Representative for Caritas Relief Services based in the Philippines. 

 

“As part of the social arm of the Church, our mission is to serve the poor and vulnerable around the world supporting individuals and communities to work to reach their full human potential. With each passing day and year, we see climate change as one of the greatest contributors to the misery and desperation that our work is supposed to alleviate,” he said. 

 

“As the theme of our panel discussion says ‘There is enough’ and indeed there is enough but only if we are the ones to make room in the end.”

 

The program concluded with a personal commitment by each person in the audience who pledged to care for our common home.