Govt urged to fund new research

By OLIVE SUKUN
A MEMBER of the PNG Research Science and Technology Secretariat council has urged the government to allocate funding to research work which will also build the capacities of future researchers.
“There is no funding to build capacities of researchers in the country for the next generation,” Professor Betty Lovai said.
She was addressing the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology during the third secretariat meeting in Port Moresby.
“We need researchers to contribute to the development of the country,” she said.
Lovai said one of the biggest challenges for research in Papua New Guinea was the building of capacities for future researchers.
She said funds the universities received were not enough because they would only cover the operational costs and none for research.
“Funding is inadequate to support researchers to do research in the country,” she stated.
She said there were researchers from Australia doing research in Papua New Guinea.
“Australian researchers are doing research in our country, our space, to gain qualification,” she said.
She found that out during one of the research conferences she attended last week.
Lovai said she should have had Papua New Guinean researchers presenting their papers based on researches in the country during such conferences, but because of the lack of funding, it was not possible.
Lovai expressed the concern in the presence of Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Pila Nininga hoping that he would take it up with the National Executive Council.
“Research generates knowledge,” she said.