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Koroi and inspiration; SPG Budget; MDG Targets
Koroi an inspiration
The Ministry of Youth & Sports acknowledges with appreciation the article published on Jacque Koroi in the December edition.
It is an indication of the magazine's (ISLANDS BUSINESS) support and commitment to the development of young people, particularly in giving them an opportunity to voice their concerns and aspirations. The article is a source of motivation to her peers in the region.
-Tarusila Bradburgh
Ministry of Youth Employment
Opportunities & Sports
FIJI
SPG budget
While the South Pacific Games Authority welcomes the support of ISLANDS BUSINESS for the XIII South Pacific Games in August, there are several statements in the November 2006 report by Dev Nadkarni I would like to correct.
He says that at the time of writing "the Samoan government would have run up bills to the tune of nearly ST$75 million. Close to ST$55 million in design fees, material and personnel costs have been committed by the People's Republic of China, thus taking up the total Games budget to nearly ST150 million."
The fact is that the ST$75 million includes the construction cost and materials; the labour and design was funded locally by the government. The ST$55million is the estimated amount of the People's Republic of China's assistance.
He also states that the "SPG is in talks to persuade the country's bus operators to depute their buses. If the operators accept the proposal, more than half the country's bus population of 230 will be pressed into service for the games.
"What is not clear, is how the travelling public will cope with just half the regular bus fleet during the two weeks the Games will be held. Importing new vehicles is an option but a costly one and is looked at as the very last resort," says Fonoti.
I did not say this at all. My comment was that the committee is assessing the merits of providing each country with vehicles and drivers as required by the charter. And that each country will then be responsible for their own transportation.
Although the SPGA is still finalising our transport schedules, we are entirely confident all our transport needs will be catered for in a methodical and orderly fashion, similar to the logistics in other areas of the overall games planning strategy.
A reflection of this is our playing facilities.
In December alone, a hockey field, beach volleyball stadium, a baseball diamond and the second of three indoor stadiums were opened. Plans for the athletes villages and catering are well in hand.
We look forward to hosting you all in Samoa in August for a wonderful two weeks of sporting competition.
-Fonoti Manogiamanu Etuale Ioane
CEO 2007 South Pacific Games Authority
SAMOA
MDG targets
My comments relate to "We Say" which commented on PNG as a poor achiever in the MDG (Millennium Development Goals) targets to the year 2015.
I must admit that PNG will never meet the MDG goals set for the year 2015 in the important areas of health, education, poverty alleviation, sanitation and other social indicators.
This non-achievement of MDG goals is not due to the Somare Government's negligence. There is goodwill, commitment and allocation of requisite funds to these social sector programmes.
But I believe the impediments to social and economic progress lie elsewhere and I will highlight these in the subsequent section of this submission. It is my hope that the international community will be take note of these comments.
The first impediment to economic and social progress is the high population growth in PNG. Right now, the population growth in PNG stands at three percent per annum, one of the highest in the Commonwealth, if not the world. The guestimation of the population is some 5 million.
But I believe the actual population is in the vicinity of 7 million and it is growing at an alarming rate per annum. For a long time this growth has gone unchecked.
Of course, it is common knowledge that any population increase in any country taxes the national resources and PNG is no exception in this regard.
But, of course, the government must take measures to control the population increase.
For any country to have social/economic progress it must have a good and efficient roading infrastructure. PNG does not have this. There are no roads leading out of Port Moresby, the capital of PNG. There is only the Highlands Highway but that does not cover the whole of PNG.
The development of roads is extremely expensive and the country is stuck with this problem and with no relief in sight.
On the other hand, air and sea transport is very expensive and goods and services cannot move. Therefore, the cost of doing business in PNG is costly. The current high oil prices have provided no relief either.
Every year official corruption and the stealing of public funds have gone unabated. Millions of kina have been swindled through organised crime by public officials and this has resulted in funds allocated by Parliament for health, education, sanitation and the alleviation of poverty being squandered.
As a result, government activities suffer. Therefore, the population becomes poorer in the end.
Over the past 30 years of independence, the Aussie aid has been huge, but it has been used to fund consultants and advisors from Canberra.
The "boomerang" effect has been an impediment to any noticeable and tangible development taking place in the social/economic sectors.
There must be something wrong with Australian aid being implemented in PNG because on one hand the donor flatly refuses to engage PNG nationals in seasonal labour in their country. But they are just too willing to give the A$300 million.
In conclusion, I say that if PNG is to meet the MDG targets, all these and more impediments have to be removed.
-Peter Ipu Peipul
Boroko
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
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