Kerema remains unchanged

I VISITED Kerema town on April 10 after 30 years of absence from my home province and was shocked to see that there was hardly any development taking place except for a road construction near the township.
I really don’t know whether to call it a provincial capital but it is the least developed town in the country.
There is no sealed roads and good infrastructures built within the town area.
Maprik town in East Sepik is far better than Kerema town even though Wewak is the capital.
I live in Wewak and contribute to the development of East Sepik and assisted PNG Air set up airline services in Madang/Wewak and Vanimo and have seen these provinces grow in development.
One such comparison is Kerema town market is just like the Wamaieng market along the Sepik Highway and I was surprised to see that they openly sell drugs.
It made me to return back to Port Moresby after 10 minutes of Kerema town sightseeing.
I wonder where the district services improvement programme and provincial services improvement programme funds go to in terms of development.
Elected leaders live in Port Moresby whilst their people suffer in silence of no better business opportunities and development.
Malalaua station is rundown even Malalaua High School where I was a student in 1992 had better facilities and roads but not today.
Today, many people in the province migrate to Port Moresby to live and seek services that they cannot find in Kerema.
People have become lazy and all they could do whole day is gamble along the highway in their small market set ups to pass the time.
Water has become scarce in some villages.
Health and educational facilities are rundown and there is no care for personal hygiene.
It is a sad situation for the people of Kerema.
All they do is gamble and put betel nut bags on the side of the road and wait for buyers.
Betel nut buyers dictate the owner of the trees.
It shows that there is no good leadership and people are suffering and these has been the situation for many years.
I appeal to Gulf people to change the governor and a new Kerema MP who can change the direction of what is happening today.
Gulf people must change their attitude and not become dependent but work hard for their families.
Start planting vanilla, grow cocoa and export fish and tiger prawns to make money.
You just cannot sit down and ask.
Hard work is needed to better your lives.
I do not have interest in political ambition but if I had K200 million, I would allow Water Aid to install clean water system in every villages and supply solar energy for schools and hospitals with better infrastructure.
Provide SME loans through village cooperative societies to market their produce such as prawns and fish and other products.
Upgrade vocational schools and train young men and women with technical skills that the country needs today.
Kerema people have built other places and we can upskill our young people and give them hope.
Kerema people have forgotten God in their lives even though missionaries set foot on their shores many decades ago.
Faith in God and blessings will come.
Other provinces have developed because God has blessed them.
The more people change and believe in God and the spiritual level increases it will reflect naturally.
Our people can prosper but are not showing hope.
Lack of land for further town development may be a concern but if landowners are given spin off business opportunities instead of the political inner circle, we will see change when people and landowners become part of the development.
This is election year and the only chance to elect a new governor and a new Kerema MP.
Newly elected leaders should come up with a forum that will seek ideas from young and educated Gulf people with visions/plans to help develop the province especially in East Kerema.
I believe Kikori MP is a performing MP and should be re-elected.

Mark M Karulaka
Wewak, ESP