Plan from the roots: Basil

TREASURER Sam Basil, pictured, asked the Department of National Planning and Monitoring to encourage bottom-up planning after 2022 rather than top-down planning that suppressed programme implementation processes in respective local level governments.
“After 2022, let us trigger bottom-up planning by capturing wards and LLGs plans that set the basis of a district plan and compiled as the provincial plan then into the national development plan,” Basil said when launching five-year integrated development plan for Menyamya on Saturday.
“A tree grows up from its roots and sustained by its stalks to bear fruits and yet the government was implementing top-down approach without reaching unreached areas.”
Basil said much of the development plans were crafted in Waigani and passed down to be implemented in respective provinces and LLGs that got nowhere.
Instead the plans were unable to capture actual human needs and suppressed the implementations determined by various geographical localities.
“We cannot continue to the use same approach and processes in drafting national development plans that are unable to bring actual results,” he said.
“Instead, let us think creatively to initiate new concepts and this time, try bottom-up planning,” Basil said.
Basil said, to ensure a workable development plan, public servants in respective administrations were responsible in implementing identified activities listed in a plan to achieve desired goals.
“Simple acquittal process begins soon after the district development authority (DDA) passes the resolutions and never wait until budget allocations and purchase of vehicles or building of schools and aid posts.”
He said the development plan set the basis and visions of the people within a district but failed to achieve fruition when public servants in various sections were unable to execute their roles and responsibilities.
“Not all activities drafted within a plan are achievable for Menyamya and Bulolo due to the deteriorated state of the highway from Lae to Bulolo, Watut, Aseki and Menyamya.”
Basil said Bulolo and Menyamya hosted some multi-million projects like Hidden Valley mine, PNG Forests Products, Zenag Chicken, organic coffee and the anticipated Wafi-Golpu projects that generated millions to national purse.
“Soon Wafi-Golpu will become the ‘mama kakaruk’ (hen) not only for Morobe but the country and yet the condition of Lae-Bulolo-Wau and Menyamya highway has deteriorated badly.”
Deputy provincial administrator (governance and corporate management) Miring Singoling said every plan was as good as those tasked to implement it.
“The plans reflects the expectations and visions of the people but not all activities are achievable as determined by factors like funding and road inaccessibility and lack of commitment by public servants,” Sigoling said.
Sigoling was impressed with Menyamya DDA that worked closely with National Agriculture Research Institute and Australian consul general Paul Murphy in Lae.