Get rich quickly! Build Roads!

J. Roughan

2 February 2010

Honiara 

 

The Chinese Government knows a bit about the art of making money and has practiced this art form for more than 5,000 years now. During the most recent world wide economic downturn last year, for instance, the Chinese economy hurt the least. Right now it currently grows at a faster clip, more than 10% a year, than any other nation. It is way ahead of America, most of Europe and Japan.

 

A favorite Chinese sayings is "If a country wants to get rich quickly, then build roads!" Of course their newest road in Tibet's mountain country serves military interests as well. China is currently experiencing some trouble in Tibet and to make sure it can get the necessary military muscle into this small mountainous country, the most efficient way is to have a good road system at the ready.

 

But stressing military muscle doesn't mean that roads aren't good for generating wealth as well. Our own people already know this. Back in 1997, when Bart Ulufa'alu was PM, he commissioned SIDT to conduct a nation wide survey: National Survey on Government  Investing in People's Lives. More than 12,600 Solomon Islanders across the nation responded with their assessment of the best place to invest money.  People's first investment demand was the creation of many more markets but not far behind, in second place in fact, was the need of good  transport.

 

Few of our people have ever taken university courses! Certainly even fewer had any training in planning national economies but there was no doubt in their minds when asked by the survey where should the investment dollar go: make many more markets and link solid transport to them. Wealth creation is closely connected to both. Link them one to another and watch things spark. That fact remains true today as it was in 1997.

 

Last week villagers west of Honiara were beyond joy that the bridges and the road system ripped apart by severe flooding only days before were fixed in record time. They could hardly believe their eyes! One day villagers were staring at destroyed bridges and ruined roads. They knew that their chances of getting their garden food to market was near impossible.

 

Then, miraculously, within a very short period of time these same roads and bridges were mended. People had worried about sinking deeper into poverty because they couldn't get a few dollars by selling market goods. Now, in record time, road links had been restored and they could carry on.

 

Nick Warner, RAMSI's first director in 2003, asked me what one thing should be done first to get the nation back together and humming once  again. Without hesitation I begged: "Build a labour intensive road from Kuma to Marau as the first and best solution to the Weather Coast's isolation and poverty." To this day, not a single cent has been invested in such a road! Weather Coast villagers are no better served now in their transport needs than they were in 1998 when the Social Unrest took root. Yet, still the nation expects peace, harmony and tranquility to  flourish when we have done nothing of worth to turn things around.

 

Bringing Keke's gang to justice, flying helicopters around in a show of force and stationing dozens of police boots on the ground does little directly for a villager's well being. These people want to be part of the Solomons commercial world, to gain modest amounts of money and to invest their profits to bring about a better life for themselves.

 

We at least should learn a few lessons from the Chinese civilization that is more than 5,000 years old. They also follow their own advice and are busy building roads around their country. Of course roads are expensive but what is more expensive? Isolate people and drive them to despair is much more expensive when we are forced to bring in military, police and other nations to help us return peace to ourselves.