The women and children in villages along the Kokoda Track Corridor continue to suffer from vital services like Health and Education as the PNG Government are called upon to be supportive. Frustrated Chairman of the Central Kokoda Corridor Mr Philip Batia is calling on the Government to come out clearly and tell the people where have they contributed to sustain the livelihood of the people despite large amount of funds were allocated under the Joint Understanding 1 and 2. “Our people continue to suffer under this bilateral Agreement between the PNG Government and the Australian Government. We are only seeing the Australian Component through its program the Kokoda Initiative but where is the PNG Component,” questions Mr Batia. The Kokoda Initiative have played a significant part in implementing Education and Health infrastructures but the landowners want to know how this infrastructures can be sustained over the years and this is where the PNG Component comes in. Mr Batia adds, “What has the PNG Government got to offer us. We want the Government to resolve this issue through acceptable means. Because if we shut down the Track we will inflict more pain on the people and innocent people like the Tourists will be affected.” This is a major concern and serious issue according to the Landowners and they are now calling on the Department of National Planning & Monitoring and the Government program facilitators SEPA to come out clear on this cross cutting issues. One other point raised was that despite another part of the PNG Government’s Component under the Joint Understanding was to be responsible for building Human resources and creating Economic Development opportunities for the landowners but that has not been the case. The Options given now is whether to shut down the track or boycott the Joint Understanding three meeting and prevent it from go ahead this year until the Government resolves this.
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