By MALUM NALU
Today, please spare your thoughts and prayers for the people of Daru
and Western province, who have needlessly suffered for so many years, because
of neglect of both provincial and national governments and the squandering of
billions of kina.
A once-beautiful colonial town has been brought to its knees through years of neglect by politicians and public servants.
I was in Daru last Friday, June 1, for the launching of PNG Sustainable Development Program projects, and what I saw around me truly bothered my conscience.
My thoughts and prayers also for my tambus (in-laws) in Iruupi village,
where my late wife Hula comes from, one of the southernmost points of PNG, near the Torres Strait.
May Daru and
Western province rise like the phoenix from the sad ashes!
I will help in what
little way I can, that is my gurantee!
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A picture of abject poverty on the mudflats of Daru,
Western province, which I took last Friday. This waterfront settlement is used by
the 'canoe people' of Daru. They, and many others in Daru, live in abject
poverty because of years and years of neglect by both national and provincial
governments.
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The canoe people of Daru, who live on their canoes on the
mudflats of this forgotten South Fly town, are a feature of the place. They,
and many others in Daru, live in abject poverty because of years and years of
neglect by both national and provincial governments.
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| A mother and her child cooking on a canoe on the mudflats of Daru |
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| Last Friday, when we were driving in for launching of the trestle wharf
renovation in Daru funded by PNGSDP, these people from the nearby
waterfront settlement on the mudflats stood by and wondered what was
going on. They have suffered from years of neglect by both national and
provincial governments. |
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| Daru post office last Friday, June 1. Goodness, Post PNG, with all the money you're making, why not set up a new post office for Daru? |
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Firewood vendors at a settlement at Tawo'o Point, Daru,
where the international deepwater port is being built by PNGSDP. There is
abject poverty in and around Daru because of years and years of neglect by both
national and provincial governments.
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Hi,
ReplyDeleteGood Article Malum Nalu. Just came across this old article of yours when I was doing some research on PNG and and inturn Daru. Its a pretty sad scene and its a hard truth that it prevails in every part of the world. I am just praying for the people of that land. Its Corrupt to the core. I appreciate that you are doing steps to help the people as much as you can. Being a sustainable engineer, I will try to make to make an effort to do that in the near future, being part of the programs.
Cheers
Vinoth Mannan
Singapore