People still suffering

Momase, Normal
Source:

JEFFREY ELAPA

THE people are still suffering silently due to lack of basic and essential government services and have accepted the fate, according to Madang provincial administrator, Joseph Dorpar.
Mr Dorpar said people in the rural areas were in dire need of goods and services as more focus was on building and expanding the towns and cities.
He made the comments during the 2010 Madang provincial budget presentation to the budget steering committee last week, after it was endorsed by the provincial executive council last month.
He said many National Government projects currently under operation in Madang province also had not contributed to any kind of development nor the people in the rural areas had benefited.
He said essential services like good transport infrastructure, health centres and schools, which were avenues for the people to become involved with economic activities to sustain their lives, had not been in existence and many had deteriorated over the years.
Mr Dorpar said many of the taxes received from the huge impact projects were paid to the National Government and, therefore, the provincial government could not generate any income to assist the rural population with the services they rightfully deserved.
However, he said the Government’s insights and vision in introducing programmes like the district treasury rollout programme, the district road improvement and the district services improvement programme were in the right direction to address the needs of the rural people.
He said with  the continuous change of Government policy and the hijacking of the system of good governance and accountability, many millions go down the drain at the expense of the rural people.
Mr Dorpar added that under these circumstances, the public servants also faced a lot of challenges.
He said the essentials to support the public servants in the rural areas were transport, communication, banking services and housing.
He said housing was a necessity and, therefore, it should be made available for them to perform their duties diligently.
He said the absence of these facilities would mean that the Government services would not be provided to the Government’s expectations.