Many people in rural communities are still crying for basic government services that they have missed out on for many decades.
Though the government has increased funding to the provinces, districts and recently LLGs, these public funds are being exhausted before reaching the rural majority.
However, Alotau MP and National Planning and Monitoring Minister, Charles Abel, said services are not reaching the people because of poor leadership.
In this special report, EM TV journalist Quinton Alomp visits the Dowa people of Rabaraba in Alotau and shares some development stories that are changing their lives like never before.
The geographical setting here is very rugged. High mountains and fast flowing rivers make access to basic government services very challenging.
Flying over these terrains, one can imagine the difficulties people endure every day. For decades, many of these people have never seen government support.
Their cries have never been heard. However, in recent times, the Rabaraba people of Alotau, Milne Bay Province, are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Earlier this week, their local MP Charles Abel, visited several schools and villages in the electorate and declared some of his priority focus areas.
Among them was the North Coast Highway, which has seen costs of over K22 million from the DSIP and PIP funds so far.
Others include funding of K100, 000 to every primary school and health centre in the electorate and ten sheets of roofing iron to every family in the district.
Mr Abel has moved a step further by subdividing his LLGs into zones, where each zone has its own headquarter to identify its’ development plans within the tribe or language group.
During his visits, Mr Abel officially launched the district administration building at Rabaraba station and led the ground-breaking ceremony of the Rabaraba wharf, which cost over K2 million of DSIP funds.
The contract has been awarded and work will commence soon. So far this is the sixth jetty and wharf funded.
During his visit to Rabaraba Skills Training Centre, Mr Abel promised that every year he will visit an LLG and the zone areas.
He presented a cheque of K200, 000 to the school. Funds were also allocated to Sirisiri, Ikara and other schools, given their SLIP programs are provided.
In Augwana village, people from Umanakaina and Ginuman zone communities said this was the first time a local MP had visited their area and experienced, first-hand, their way of living.
Accessing government services is difficult in this village and it took a day for people to walk to the coast.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yqjR1WR28gA%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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