Acting Managing Director for Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) Ms. Debra Sungi says ignorance is one of the hindrances to development in Papua New Guinea.

Speaking after a walkathon on Sunday morning 08th June 2025 around Paga Hill to Ela Beach, organized by NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop to commemorate the World Environment Day on the 5th June 2025 themed “Beat Plastic Pollution”, Ms. Sungi said there are laws in place that we can simply follow to make our country a better place to live yet we choose to ignore them and do the total opposite.

“It’s not a complicated process to simply keep our city and country clean by not littering and being responsible for our rubbish, yet we just throw our rubbish and plastic waste everywhere anytime we feel like it and polluting the environment,” Sungi said

“You will see people walking or driving in flashy cars and just wind down their windows and throw rubbish especially plastic waste as if no one’s business.” She said.

Acting MD Sungi says plastic waste is one of the major contributing factors to pollution of the environment and its about time every citizen of this country should make it their personal responsibility to recycle plastic waste in a more proper manner.

NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop told those who participated in the walk that the NCDC will take drastic measures in ensuring that plastic waste is not a threat to the environment.

“When the NCDC board next sits, we will issue a 6 months notice to all bottling companies and other manufacturers of plastic products to look at options apart from the use of plastic with their products’” Parkop said.

“Companies like Coca-Cola and other bottling companies will be issued notices to look at other viable options than the use of plastic.” He said.

Meanwhile, a mass Clean-A-Thon organized by NCDC, CCDA, CEPA and stakeholders and the public at large is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks starting from Tatana all the way to Gereka outside Port Moresby.