By ALISON ANIS
PAPUA New Guinea will be the first country in the Pacific region to have an active public policy to empower people involved in the informal sector.
The Department of the Community Development (DFCD) in collaboration with the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC), are currently embarking on a plan to launch the new policy which will see majority of the people involved in the informal sector improve their livelihood.
“The Government has recognised the improvement of the informal sector in our society as a way forward for the growth of our country and has made available funds for the development of the policy to be carried out,” DFCD Minister Dame Carol Kidu stated in a meeting with the consultative committee members last Thursday.
She said the Government had shown their support for informal sector in the country by committing K400,000 for the establishment of its policy.
“This funding has been made available but to get this won’t be immediate – we are supported indirectly through under existing programmes,” Dame Carol said.
Representatives from the Education Department, Labour and Employment, Community Development, Health, World Bank and the informal sector were among those present during the meeting.
The minister with the backing from the Government had tasked the policy-makers, which are made up of the consultative committee to conduct a survey, do an analysis and draft a policy.
Dame Kidu told the committee members that the process had already been set in place and the big task now was to bring out a draft paper on policy.
The policy will include those in the rural areas as well as those who live in the urban centres, which means there needs to be a change in the current public’s perception of the term informal sector.
“Informal sector is everywhere. Eighty per cent of our population operate in the rural areas, which is also an informal sector. We have to have a complete change of mindset about the term. It is not about people selling buais on the street. No. It applies to everyone living and operating in the informal sector.”
Dame Carol said the aim was to achieve a public policy that was incorporated with “our Melanesian culture and get the majority of PNG to see the informal sector not as a problem or burden but as an opportunity to better ourselves as well as an export driven base”.