Govts have let islanders down

Letters, Normal

I AM not surprised to read the report about the on-going conflict between the Manam islanders and Bogia villagers in The National (March 22).
The conflicts have been going on for too long.
Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet and the local MP and Agriculture Minister John Hickey have completely gone blind and deaf when it comes to this problem.
Even though I am not from the province, I was there last year with my colleagues to conduct a week-long religious programme with the islanders and saw how both the national and provincial governments had let them down since the disaster occurred in November 2004.
During the week, the islanders discussed with us issues like overcrowding, poor sanitation, constant harassment from the locals and other issues which were affecting them.
One of the leaders told us that even though they had raised the issues affecting them several times in the past, both governments failed to respond.
The islanders have suffered enough and it is time the national and provincial governments stepped in to resolve the issue once and for all.

 

R. Mura
Madang