Ms Gillard – time to think of PNG’s rural poor

BY TREVOR FREESTONE

Trevor Freestone, who believes in backing up his views on Australia’s PNG relationship with action, has just written this letter to Australia’s prime minister Julia Gillard

ON A RECENT VISIT TO WATABUNG in the mountains of the Eastern Highlands Province I was very concerned with the living conditions in the rural villages.

The Papua New Guinea government has ignored the living conditions of its rural communities in spite of the resource boom.

AusAID also seems to have taken very little interest in the rural villages. I believe aid money should be directed towards rural communities who have little or no chance to better their conditions due to their very low or non-existent incomes.

As children receive an education they tend to gravitate towards the towns looking for work. Some find it but many don't.

Due to the poor living conditions in the villages they are reluctant to return. If living conditions were better they probably would return and live a much better life than the one they find in the towns living in poverty with no income.

My question is, now that we have a new foreign minister how does the government believe our aid money to PNG should be used?

Do you intend to direct AusAID to take a greater interest in rural communities to encourage a more balanced society thus avoiding many of the problems one currently finds in the towns.

To be an elderly citizen living in poverty in a village without clean drinking water, sanitation or easy access to healthcare should be unacceptable.

These very people were the ones who stood by us in our hour of need as neighbours and deserve better.

Please think carefully on how AusAID can help these rural villagers.

PNG Attitude will report on the prime minister’s response

Comments

[Mrs Barbara Short]

Stuart. I've had experience with the Keravat NHS rebuilding.

AusAID sent an architect from a Sydney company up to PNG to work out what had to be done and to cost it. He also came to my house and discussed the age of all the buildings with a number of former principals and teachers.

AusAID money was then given to the Education Department to cover the rebuilding. But I'm sure the AusAID people would have worked very closely with the Education Department people.

As far as I know AusAID then insisted that they appoint a British company to oversee the rebuilding.

I guess a good tendering process was then put in place. Many PNG firms were contracted to do the work.

As far as I know the money was all used wisely and people tell me the school looks brand new, well, almost!

Having spent a couple of years running Manggai High School in New Ireland, I wish you well in your efforts to bring sanitation and a good water supply to the whole of New Ireland.

My advice is to just keep working at it. Keep contacting everyone you can think of.

When I was at Manggai I got a Kina for Kina subsidy from the Provincial Government to rebuild some of the teachers' houses that were made from bush materials.

Best Wishes.

[Stuart]

I was asked by New Ireland provincial government to cost and implement total water and sanitation for all of its 160,000 population.

I did that, and the cost of doing this would be K23-25 million. Subsequently, they have approved K10 million of their own funding.

I approached AusAID civil society organisation (CSO) water and sanitation fund at the appropriate time to match the provincial government's funding 1:1.

They said categorically only CSOs would be funded, not governments.

This does imply that only NGOs, or outside decision-makers, get to determine the outcomes, not the recipient government.

AusAID/PNG partnership? Not really!

[Colin Huggins]

Interesting Paul.
However, if Bob Carr can locate Andrew, I should imagine now busily engaged in US Republican Primaries, due to the influence of his high society wife, Penne Percy Korth, a highly qualified fund raiser for the US Republican Party, and a former US Ambassador to Mauritius,( what an idyllic posting !!!?) then Mr. Bob Carr,(Foreign Minister designate) might just learn that Kiaps did serve a most important roll in TPNG prior to Independence. At least in those days, there was law and order. Did the now new word, "rascol" exist??? I believe not.
So an SOS to the Australian Ambassador, the ever smiling Kim Beasley and a friend of both sides of the US political divide to find the also ever smiling Andrew might be a good idea, of course cc'd to the Foreign Minister designate, Bob Carr. Also after the delightful photo shot of Shadow Minister, Julie Bishop and now back bencher, Kevin Rudd in today's Sunday papers, might also help? Might make Julie and Kevin realise that they should have taken a bigger interest of what is now happening. Ah - the wasted money that was and is still being sent! AusAid!

[Paul Oates]

It's good thing I've not become cynical and a betting man or I'd lay a bet that you'll receive the same 'snow job' response I've received over the years every time I have written to successive PM's, Foreign Ministers, etc.

In essence the response will go something like this: The government has allocated $xxx to assist PNG and all programs are reportedly doing very well. (signed) The Minister, Parliamentary Secretary, el al etc.

The only Minister I ever knew who actually took more than a passing interest in PNG was Andrew Peacock. He actually had PNG friends and regularly corresponded with them. I know because I used to talk to some of them.

When I was introduced to him in Parliament House and he was told I was a Kiap he said: "God, I envy you."