Putting our money where our mouth is!

J. Roughan

21 May 2009

Honiara

 

The world's severe economic downturn is turning up new thinking or at least dusting off old ideas trying to make them work. Nation after nation   are coming to understand that the economic disaster, tsunami, perfect storm, or whatever words used to describe what's undermining our economic health is something new--we haven't seen the like for 70 years--, unusual--affecting all nations across the world--and really frightening --bad things will and are happening to many, many people.

 

More than 70 years ago--1930-1939--countries all over the globe suffered their greatest economic depression. During that decade, millions of workers couldn't  find jobs, countries refused to trade with each other except under their own rules and the whole international banking system, the heart of a nation's economy, were in collapse. 

 

Many nations, ourselves included, are currently traveling that same road. As in the earlier 1930's Depression, this  economic meltdown will not leave us quickly. It's here to stay for 2009 and unfortunately for much of 2010.

 

Last week two of government's senior persons--the Governor General and the Director of the Central Bank--called upon Solomons village people to ride to the nation's rescue. Much like the Social Unrest years of 1998-2003, before RAMSI had ever entered the picture, the village person had kept the kids fed, housed the family, protected the old, children and women and functioned as a stable social force. Once again these same people--the poorest and least able--are asked to perform the same miracle they performed at the turn of the 21st century.

 

And of course the nation's village sector will do its duty to protect, feed and sustain the bulk of the nation's people.They know in their bones that if they don't rise to the occasion and take on the burden of keeping the nation afloat and ticking over, there are few other institutions that would be in a position to do so. But, the village is also asking, what does government and its institutions plan to do to soften the blow of a staggering economy?

 

Rural dwellers know that government has in its power to focus its vast amounts of money to the agriculture sector, to make it thrive and be the engine of growth for all people, both rural and urban. For instance, root crop production is the life blood of local agriculture. As good as rice cultivation could become in the years to come, at this stage of our development the humble potato, yam, pana, cassava, etc. still lie at the heart of our people's productive capacity.

 

But the issue is more than about growing a few more potatoes, yam, pana, etc. but ways of making these farm products reach the customer and bring much needed income to rural communities. That is why, back in 1997 when the Ulufa'alu Government asked SIDT to conduct a survey on where best to put the investment dollar, 14,000 people made a clear decision. Government must construct more and more food markets and insure that these products reach local markets in a timely and economic ways. Here we are two decades later and the same rural cry is heard. Help us the backbone of society!

 

Rural dwellers also ask that its young people, both women and men, get a chance to work the agricultural fields of New Zealand, Australia and Taiwan. Recently more than a 100 young Solomon Islanders returned from fruit picking work in New Zealand. Some of these workers  returned with healthy bank accounts but more importantly, Kiwi fruit owners sang their praises. They want more and more of them to help harvest their fruit trees. In other words, they want to see more of our people in their fruit orchids and they want them now. This is where government with its strong contacts with foreign governments must come to the rescue of its people. 

 

The closest agent to the people, however, is not government as such but the Member of Parliament with his bulging cheque book. Project funding remains strong among every constituency of the country. May I make a point that the project that needs the most funding is in the agricultural specifically the food production area? MPs should earmark funds for women's gardens, getting their products to the market and market places for them. Funding women in this kind of enterprise ensures that the money will be spread out among the poorest of society and have a large multiplying effect. In other words, fifty dollars to a woman gardener will find its way to better health for kids, stronger homes and a more content rural population.

 

The present ghastly economic turndown can be a great opportunity to strengthen villagers who are the backbone of Solomons society.