A response to Koare news by Brian,
Thank you so much Brian for letting all of us know about the home news which
sounds so ambitious and somewhat unbelievable to know that a 15-seater bus will
be able to go as far as remote Koare market if and when the purported road is
completed. To me this an another election ploy and political rhetoric with no
basis in it as this is the usual language and propaganda used year in year out
by our so-called politicians, their bunch of administrators and their group of
supporters/cronies. There need to be questions asked about this move and talk
without real actions. From my many years of experience, Koare Kids are always
promised big things by the so-called politicians and their group of cronies.
For instance, some 30 years back Mr. Pundia Kange when he was the MP for
Pangia/Ialibu promised two major undertakings among other host of stuff to be
done for Koare. First, he said he felt so sorry for the people of Koare and he
would make sure there is a super highway that connects Koare station and Tindua
and all the way to Ialibu and the Highlands highway for easy and quick access.
This promise never came to reality. Second, he promised to merge the other part
of Koare, which is Karanda, now part of Kagua/Erave Electorate to come under
Pangia/Ialibu electorate. This also never materialized. Just another election
ploy and political propaganda. Pundia Kange lost and Mr. Roy Yaki came got in
as MP for Pangia/Ialibu. Mr. Roy Yaki, to some extent maintained the
Koare/Kagua road from time to time. I have seen road works done on Koare/Kagua
road during his time as an MP. However, the kind of work done was sub-standard
and the so-called local contractors from Ialibu only did few odd jobs here and
there and walked off with the large sums of money. The road eventually turned
into bush again after few weeks and months. Then the current MP, Mr. Peter
O'Neil got into Parliament during the 2002 General Elections. I remember him
walking from Tindua all the way to Kerera village in Koare during the 2002
elections. After being given some good number of pigs by the leaders from
Kerera and Ita villages, he said that he was truly sorry for the Koare people
who are still in the stone-ages with no access road. He all heartedly promised
that road would be a number one priority for the Koare people when he gets into
power as MP. That was in 2002. This is his second term as an MP for
Pangia/Ialibu. In fact this is his 9th year of being an MP for Pangia/Ialibu
including remote Koare. What has he done over the 9 year period? Is this the
same Peter O'Neil who promised to give priority to Koare road and to make sure
that a 15-seater bus turns around in Koare market, some lousy 9 years ago? We
are going into the 10th year for this same guy being in power. Where is all our
money that has been allocated for the past 9 years? If the ADB money is to be
used for the Koare road, then where is our other allocations and funding over
the past 9 years? Someone needs to tell us. Where is all our funding over the
9 years? What has he done? Nothing, nil. Now, let's ask some questions and
analyze some facts:
1. Why didn't Peter O'Neil fix the Koare road over the past 9 years? This
year (2011) is his final year for this term of Parliament. So why coming this
late in the last year of this parliament's term? Election 2012 is around the
corner, just 10 months away, and Parliament will have its final seating around
December 2011 before it goes into recess in preparation for the coming 2012
elections. Now, let's ask this question? Is this so-called ADB road program
another political gimmick or ploy to gain someone's own fame and regain lost
pride and popularity? Is this another empty promise as all the Koare Konda Kids
now know that a road of such magnitude and length would not only take 5 months
to complete. They are talking about going into thick jungles of elephant grass
and bush pitpit, they are talking about water lot road conditions, they are
talking about cutting mountains and not small hills, they are talking about
erecting permanent bridges which take ages to build. May be some super
engineers can complete several bridges of quality and high class and standard
within the remaining 5 months. How about the road itself? Will it be sealed
for sustainability and durability or just another lose gravel type sub-standard
capital road works? What kind of road are we talking about here? May be I will
not be afraid to see just bush clearing by one or two machines and after few
weeks or a month they will be pulled back as by then the so-called ADB funds
will have been used up. As far as I know there is huge Kagua River. This
particular bridge will require may be 2-3 years of bridge building work to make
it higher class and high standard. Then there is the famous Una River bridge.
This is not a small river. It is quite powerful in its strength and width.
This bridge will also require 2-3 years of quality bridge capital works. We
have the Koparu bridge. This is not a small river either. This is part of
Koare river. This will take another 2-3 years or bridge building works. In
between there are other smaller creeks which require bridges as well. Then the
major road works itself. This is not a small road we are talking about. We are
talking about some hundred kilometers of road going through the swamps of Seka
Tea Plantation and Koare valley swamps. These are not easy swamps to build
roads. If they are talking about building sub-standard gravel roads which I am
sure will not be even completed within 2-3 years. There is so much surveying to
be done, village gardens to compensate for, village houses be demolished and
erected, plants to be uprooted among other things. Someone needs to pay for
these stuff through heated debate and argument. Has anyone already done this
ground work before the s-called ADB funded road capital works was announced to
the poor Koare people? In total, in order for a good, sustainable and high
standard sealed road to be built it of course needs 5-10 years of planning,
resource mobilization and road works implementation. This is not an easy job as
they say so in words. This is what I said in my previous articles election
propaganda, people coming under sheep's skin to con, manipulate, playing mind
and emotional games taking advantage of the illiterate. But to be honest these
days our minds, eyes and souls are truly open and I can tell the kind of games
played by politicians. However, if a high quality, sealed road can reached by
December 2011, then I will take my hat off to whoever is involved in this road
works. Otherwise, this website will still be here and this information will
still be here so come December 2011 I will come back on this same forum and come
up with another good and intelligent response to what it means to bring basic
and much needed services to benefit the people of Koare.
2. How about the recently announced high school? In order for a quality
education it needs several actors. School culture is about everything that is
happening within a school context. Some people do not know what quality
education entails. Quality education is about improving the school culture
through adequate preparation of the following elements
(a) Teachers = where are we getting the high school teachers to come to
Koare? Have we prepared some people to take the leadership position and to
teach the different subjects? How many high school trained subject specialist
teachers are prepared to come to Koare as high school teachers given the
location and remoteness? Quality education does not mean telling any Dick and
Harry to teach specialized subjects such as physics, chemistry, math, etc. If
teachers are not educated and experienced enough to teach a particular subject
content confidently and competently, then that's not what quality education is
all about. It is another sub-standard education. Education of low quality.
(b)Curriculum Materials = where are the high school curriculum materials coming
from? Who is in charge of this and how much will be brought into to Koare and
when? Where there is lack of proper and grade appropriate curriculum materials,
that's not quality sub-standard education.
(c) School Infrastructure = how many classrooms do we have at the moment in
Kaure Primary? Which ones are permanent and which ones are bush material? I
think the ones in iron roof are the ones built since the school started in the
1970s if I am not wrong. Where is the school water supply system? Where is the
school mess, science laboratory, school library, teachers' houses, school fence
etc. At the moment the Primary School is in a total run down and dilapidated
state. When are they going to fix these things in order to be called "Koare
High School"? Or are these just another political ploy and propaganda for the
benefit of someone else? I repeat again we are not blind and we want to see the
real action and walk the talk. Above all all Koare people want to see the high
school development plan so that we are aware and know that this high school was
truly planned and falls under the SHP education plan, development and expansion
program. If there is no Kuare High School development plan then this is an
unplanned work for political gimmick and ploy for the benefit of someone else.
Finally, I appeal to our Koare Konda Kids to be vigilant, see where things are
coming from and if we see that there is genuineness why not, we have to go for
it and work together as a team. We have to support it. Otherwise, like I said
our minds, hearts and souls cry so hard for Koare at this time for we will not
allow election related ploy and propaganda to detail our future and allow other
people to rob off our birthright, something valuable that belongs to us. We
will stay united and fight for it until the last Koare Konda Kid is left to
surrender. Thank you and this is my personal critique of the proposed
developments in Koare. Thanks Brian for posting the news for us to see and make
comments.
