Different messengers but same message!

J. Roughan
5 March 2010
Honiara  
 
In 2009, Solomon Islanders were greatly helped in understanding the state of their nation by the findings of two general surveys  The more comprehensive one,--People's Survey 2009, the third in a series, the first one dating back to 2007, focused on local living conditions, RAMSI's presence, social infrastructure, etc.--was conducted by a group from Canberra. An earlier survey also in 2009, SIDT's 8th Report Card, the first Report Card in the series starting back in 1989, 20 years ago, was also conducted during the Sikua Government's tenure in power. 
 
Both surveys, although conducted by two completely different and independent organizations--one hailing from Australia National University in Canberra and the second from Solomon Islands Development Trust--came up with much the same message. The two surveys although using different methodologies and different ways of searching for the deep feelings and thoughts of typical Solomon Islanders had their conclusions reinforce each other's findings. 
 
For instance, the Canberra survey found that 40% of the people asked thought that the National Government's track record on improving basic services and the economy was not good. SIDT's findings, on the other hand, gave the government a slightly higher but still failing mark when it came to  asking villagers and town folk about the nation's basic social infrastructure base of education opportunities, health services and the availability of money.
 
SIDT's surveys have been tracking people's understanding of the national economy in its Availability of Money category in its eight Report Cards over a twenty year period. Over this time--1989-2009--citizens consistently scored the governments of the day with a low 44%, on average, for the Availability of Money. This one section in SIDT's Report Card of making a bit of money for normal living has always attracted low marks. During the Sikua Government's years, for instance--2007-2009--people scored the Report Card's section on Availability of Money  with a low of 45%.
 
The RAMSI's sponsored People's Survey 2009 findings were not much different. It found that 47% of those asked thought that youth's chances   for work were weaker than before, 72% had "no access to any agriculture program" and a serious number of those who had tried to start a business had experienced problems.  
 
But the purpose of this essay is not to show that these two separate, independent surveys were sending the same thing. This writing was not a way to prove that the local survey instrument was just as valid as the one conducted by overseas experts. The main reason for comparing both surveys is to ask the question when will Solomons governments accept the findings of these kinds of surveys and more importantly, when will  they start doing something about these findings.
 
By the middle of this year the nation holds its 8th general election and a brand new government will be formed before the end of June, 2010. It would be great if the newly formed government whoever runs it, would seriously study the findings of these two surveys and work on ways to respond to the shortcomings surfaced by the surveys. In past years perhaps parliamentarians had thought SIDT's 8 Report Cards were not accurate enough or the survey was poorly done and government didn't feel the need of listening to a home grown survey.
 
After all, as one MP said to me, 'a bunch of villagers had conducted these surveys and they couldn't possibly come up with a valid and worthwhile survey!' Now, it turns out that a professional and respected survey conducted by overseas experts has come up with many of the same responses as that of SIDT's Report Card. A national politician simply dismissing the findings of these Report Cards because they were conducted by village people doesn't hold water.
 
These surveys are telling our politicians and the political class that the bulk of Solomon Islanders are sending a clear message to government members. People are fed up with 'business as usual' approach to governance and want something new to happen in the newest sitting of parliament to take place later this year. It's too late for the present members to respond well and creatively to these surveys but the new parliament would not hurt itself if it accepted the findings of these surveys. After all, two different messengers, coming from different parts of the world sent the same message. Isn't it time to listen to our people?