Focus aid on infrastructure, says Abel

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 15th April, 2013

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

AID by donors should be focused on developing and maintaining basic infrastructure to allow people access to goods and services, says National Planning and Monitoring minister Charles Abel.

He told a joint technical working group meeting in Port Moresby last Friday that people were empowered when they had access to goods and services. 

He said the availability of proper infrastructure in rural areas enabled people to sell goods and services to make money. 

“Our people are waiting for goods and services and it’s meaningless if we talk about building capacities and technical assistance,” he said. 

“They want services and so we need to focus on the rural level.”

Abel said there was a need for increased commitment and assistance to develop and improve feeder roads and access to markets, goods and services. 

Abel told the participants that the government’s focus should be not be on how much donor assistance PNG received but what was done with it.

“What are the real tangible benefits to donor assistance in Papua New Guinea and is it fully aligned to our national plans and policies?

“This government is committed to seeing resources from donor partners mobilised where they have a comparative advantage and to avoid duplication of activities and efforts.”

United Nations resident coordinator and UN development programme representative David McLachlan-Karr said: “We need to rethink what aid as well as development budgets should be spent on and how, in ways that are consistent with agreed international rights, norms and standards so they can catalyse development.”