Housing issue too big to handle

SETTLEMENTS prevalent in developing countries, including Papua New Guinea.
Our resource-rich PNG could have done much better in terms of controlling settlements.
The Government has failed its citizens miserably.
Before Independence, the colonial administration built houses and secured customary lands for development purposes under two ministries, housing and lands.
These ministries were neglected and not given adequate attention after PNG gained independence.
During the last years of the Australian colonial administration, many houses were built throughout districts, towns and cities.
The houses built were enough to house all workers.
The National Housing Corporation houses were inhabited by those who came to towns during the post-independence eras.
When nationals were elected into the Parliament after Independence, many were laymen, school teachers and those who had limited or no knowledge of governance.
This led to the negligence of addressing and continuing to build important infrastructure such as housing.
Public housing was completely halted.
This ignorance led to an influx of people squatting on State land.
Customary lands were also taken by those who came after.
The growing demand for housing and increase in settlements were not addressed by successive governments.
After not doing anything, the Government today is faced with a tough challenge to address housing and settlement issues.
A hefty price have to be paid in order to rebuild what has been left unattended by the previous governments.
It is going to cost a lot of money to build houses nowadays to cater for those in urban areas.
The eviction and displacement of people in settlements is becoming a problem that seems unsolvable.
The coming general election is the time to elect knowledgeable and visionary leaders who can pave the way forward for us.

Maru Igabi