Empower officers to implement positive projects

SADLY, despite positive economic growth rates over the last decade, PNG’s social indicators are among the worst in the  Asia-Pacific region.
The majority of the rural population remains poor and an estimated 18% are extremely poor.
Many lack access to basic services or transport while civil utilities have been allowed to deteriorate to a shameful level.
Poverty, unemployment and poor governance contribute to serious law and order problems.
Improving the lives of the poor and promoting stability is claimed to be the central part of the government’s promise, but little has been achieved.
The government should ag­gressively pursue the following key issues:
l    Eradicate poverty – 40% of the population are living in poverty and 85% living in rural or remote areas with in­adequate access to health care and employment;
l    Increase education –  about half the adult population cannot read and over 500,000  children aged between six and 12 years  do not go to school;
l    Improve health – nearly 7% of kids do not live past their 5th birthday and life expectancy in PNG is around 53-54 years because people continue to die of preventable causes, hospitals and aid posts are deteriorating and there are not enough trained health workers; and,
l    Combat HIV/AIDS – this is one of the biggest challenges and it is estimated that over 208,000 people  will be living with HIV by the end of this year.
All districts need new facilities and more funding.
District officers, LLG officials and community workers need to be engaged and empowered by the government through training, resources, guidance and support in order to implement positive projects.
We have had enough of leaders paying lip service and groundbreaking ceremonies.
We want action.

Derrick Nagul
Via email