Dear Koare Folks, Thanks alot you guys for putting up good ideas and for talking about our remote homeland; Koare. From your individual experiences and trips home to Koare you can now realise the need there at the moment; a good road as other things will fall in line through this vital social service. Thanks Nick Naimon for coming up with some good ideas and thoughts, do appreciate that input really. Let me clarify the purpose of developing the "Koare Konda Kids' Community Forum" website. The main purpose was to expose the development needs that Koare people have/face such as road, education, health, agriculture etc. We have to tell other people in PNG and abroad whether these vital basic social services exist or not and our people are satisfied or not. The second purose is to encourage all our Koare kids to share ideas and thoughts and stay connected wherever you may be in this world. So long as you write something on this site we all know you still survive and you are a Koare kid. On that note, yes notices and toksave can be out up on the website for seeking assistance. However, you guys must be aware that in PNG there are heaps of con-man and money hungry people around with their own bag of corrupt practices,ideas and deals. Hence, talking about donor agencies they do not trust all people except some community organisations who can proof corruption free. They do not deal with individual request any more for funding assistance of any nature from experience. They want to deal with established community groups and associations. Through this way they know alot of people benefit from what is provided and not simply one person pocking the huge sums of money and walks off and then send back false aquittals, etc. Hence, we have come up with the idea of forming the "Koare Rural Development Association". All the different development needs will be considered/included/encompassed and nothing will be left out. Every Koare will take ownership and responsibility for this organisation through it's development stages to the final operation. As noted earlier in one of my articles it will be based on a sound development model which is rural oriented and practical for growth and expansion. We want to have an association which the Koare kids will say it is their own brain-child, their recognised institution to fight for their rights. Through this association, as it belongs to the people we easily seek funding for infrastructure and resort to court battles to get what is rightfully ours etc. Write our proposals and knock on doors of people and agencies who are willing to help. Without such an institution in place I know that nothing will take effect. Mulu Thomas has come up with the idea of building the Koare road using some kind of plastic, but the major problem as indicated by Nick Naimon is who is at liberty to fund this road construction? For Koare kids to raise funds to build this road is a humagous task and it is just not practical at this stage. If we have the association in place first then we can seek funding from elsewhere. Through this association I can see some light at the end of the tunnel. So I have asked someone in Port Moresby and he is currently working on the "Koare Rural Development Association" now. When the constitution and everything is ready I will put it up on the website for you guys to make comments and contribute your ideas. Please spread word around all Koare kids to have access to the website to have a look at the website as it belongs to all Koare kids. On the good note I have also engaged Mr. Johannes Poya (LLB Hons UPNG) to act as our Legal Counsel which he accepted. Johannes is from Kundu village in Pangia and he is my old time good friend. He is a senior lawyer with Professor Gubon Lawyers in Port Moresby. He will deal with any legal issues arising and related to the website or any Koare Rural Development Association funding related legal issues. Finally, can someone please send me Mr. Joel Raitano's phone current number as well as David Wereh's as I need to talk with them about the said K3 million school support funding for Kuare High School and also about the proposed ADB project to improve the Koare road. Once I get their information then we will put up notices on the website which is an appropriate way to go about rather than announcing something that we even have no idea or heard of and confirmed. Once this is done I will have the notice done and Awell will place it on the website at the earliest most convenient time. I think em tasol na always know that your brothers and sisters in Koare have no towel and soap. Some even have no shirt and trouses for more than 3-5 years with no change. Most homes do not have access to pots, plates, cups and spoons. This is truly sad state of conditions faced by our people. Until then embe paitapapera gomanda yare. End of Article |
Koare Rural Development Association by John Rombo, Middle East
