Your choices influence your life : Marape

Commentary by Hon. James Marape

Few months ago, many sports women and men from our country of Papua New Guinea (PNG) were hoisting our national flag during the 2015 Pacific Games. We were proud as our athletes delivered more medals to enable PNG first place, the opening ceremony was electrifying, the closing ceremony was unifying for this nation of a thousand small tribes with 830 plus different language group that makes up our 7 million people. They chose sports, we were the chosen proud spectators.

Just like the triumphant athletes, all of us are patriotic for our nation, we like to play, work, fight, live and die for our country. In various pursuits, most if not all of us citizens, do put our best endeavor for our country. Some of us may fault or falter but we all mean well for our country because without our country's well being our children's collective future is not good.

We can't expect miracles for things we are not in control off, but we certainly are here to give our best, where ever we are placed in today so that our tomorrow can be better for the country, for ourselves and our family.

I remember in my life few pivotal moments that I thought I was doing the right thing but I almost woke up in wrong side of history. One such moment was in year 1991. I was a student and led by student radicals and activist we were on student strike that led to close of academic year 1991. We were patriotically lifting our national flag back then to the expense of some of my school mates who are today left behind in contemporary PNG.

That was the first time in UPNG's history that classes were suspended for the entire year because of student strike led by SRC. Today looking back retrospectively, some of my school mates missed out school the following year due to lack of space and consequently space selection based on higher GPA criteria, these friends of mine are living life without uni degree and work today as I write 25 years on.

Little did I realize that those leading strikes back then were failing their academic courses, others had political interests and they tapped into our innocent desire to lift the flag for our country, we went on student strike against government.

Government remained but we students lost then, and remnant of students then remain today unemployed; who were left behind because they missed their opportunity to find space the next academic year.

I also remember another pivotal moment in my life, year 1992. I chose study over my emotional love for rugby league. In 1991 when university closed because of student strike, I spent the balance of 1991 playing "A" grade rugby league in the strong Souths Rugby League club in Port Moresby Rugby League. I was a then 20 year old kid, getting more then my fare share of sport page coverage and I could have lifted my country's flag as a player in the national team had I remain a serious player in rugby league.

I chose education over rugby league back then abandoning my dreams for Kumul playing spot. Little did I know that 13 years later my kid brother Larsen Marape would choose the opposite, rugby league over education and he made the PNG national rugby league team from 2006 to 2013. He (Larsen) lifted the PNG flag as a kumul player, whilst I am lifting the flag up to the best of my ability in my present capacities.

The choices you make in life each day, adds to your ability to live into the future with success to contribute for your country, your family and your future. Don't kill your future now, following crowd and crowd emotions gets you nowhere. It is your own self conscious choice that influence the outcome of your future. When the crowd and companions are removed, you stand facing your future naked.

Make choices wisely and without emotional influence. Take your choice of decisions seriously, wether for political votes or study or sport or any activity, every decision matters as it is foundation building block for your life's journey.

Wish you all wise choices in life.

Cheers for now.