Time for a Fair Go for Fuzzy Wuzzy descendants
Monday, December 14, 2009 at 6:11PM The people of Oro Province, at the northern end of the Kokoda Track in PNG, have been waiting for more than two years for their government to help rebuild the roads, bridges, schools and villages destroyed by Cyclone Guba in November 2007.
Hundreds were killed and tens of thousands lost their homes when Cyclone Guba hit the province. Around 60 bridges and almost 100 schools were lost in the disaster.
Two years on, and just a handful of temporary bridges have been put in place. Thousands still live under tarpaulins in temporary shelters and kids are being taught in bush lean-tos. Much of the province is still cut off from the main thoroughfare for food and basic supplies – the road to Kokoda from the port of Oro Bay and the town of Popondetta.
Just when you think things couldn’t get worse, two things happen: first, the region suffers more floods during last month’s torrential rain; and second, it now seems the government has lost the funds it committed for the province’s rebuilding.
Yes, that’s right, apparently the Kina 60 million earmarked for the restoration of the province’s infrastructure has disappeared in Port Moresby!
In the latest issue of his PNG Attitude newsletter, respected commentator, Keith Jackson, writes:
“Over K60 million allocated by the PNG Government for relief and restoration efforts after Cyclone Guba devastated Oro Province in 2007 has ‘gone missing’. Provincial authorities briefed Public Services Minister Peter O’Neill of the situation but were not able to say where the money had gone.”
The Province’s administrator, Owen Awaita, was quoted as saying that K11 million had been allocated for restoration work during the state of emergency declared following the disaster and another K50 million had been “parked” at the Treasury Department in Port Moresby. Unbelievably, apparently all this money has disappeared.
In addition, a further K600,000 committed to land owners in Girua village, north east of Kokoda, allegedly had not been paid, prompting the villagers to ban authorities from their land until the payment is made.
The time has come for the PNG to show some political will and some transparency. Any qualified accountant could trace the missing funds within days.
While this disgraceful abrogation of responsibility continues, the people of Oro – many of whom are the descendants of the beloved Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels – are relying on NGOs like the Kokoda Track Foundation and the Anglican Church for food and water. They are being denied justice and access to basic resources. Their children are being denied a future.
The PNG Government cannot proclaim its success in securing massive gas projects while turning a blind eye to massive fraud and ignoring the plight of so many of its people.
Reader Comments (2)
That's exactly what I think the designer was aiming for . He's supposed to look "rather creepy". Many children love things that are just a bit scary, yet totally safe. He was the hit of the superbowl party and "WATCHED" the game with 17 boys (7-13) who thought he "rocked". He's just interesting and strange- like the "alien " thing. MOM of 6 boys, so I'm acclimated to slightly scary!
KOKODA SPIRIT
I have just begun to read 'Kokoda Spirit' and am impressed by its presentation and easy reading style. However, having also just finished 'The Path of Infinite Sorrow' by Craig Collie and Hajime Marutani (A story of the Japanese on the Kokoda Track), I couldn't help but notice in passing that the reference to 'Uncle Sam' (Captain Sam Templeton) on p.53 of 'Kokoda Spirit' infers that Templeton "...was never seen again". This is misleading as apparently he was wounded and captured by the Japanese before being subsequently killed by a sword thrust through the stomach from a piqued Japanes battalion commander (pages 69-70 of 'The Path of Infinite Sorrow'). While I am continuing to read "Kokoda Spirit', I am concerned that for the sake of brevity perhaps, other factual events will have been skewed or brushed over, leaving me wary of the absolute accuracy of related events and circumstances. However, I've found it so far an easy read and appreciate the author's intent, and honour his message. It's just a pity at this early stage in the read that a troubling doubt has arisen in my mind as to the author's actual investment in research and what passes for fact and what passes for simple story telling.