PEOPLE FIRST
A
documentary on the Pacific way of life
Prepared
by:
UNDP-UNOPS
Integrated Area
Development
Project
HD SCRIPT/ People
First
00:00 Female Voice:
The
Pacific, our home. Those outside our
region know us from those pretty postcards.
Exotic places under the
sun: small islands, white sand beaches
and swaying coconut palms; bountiful fish catch or ample harvest of root crops;
colorful traditional feasts. Truly a
land of plenty and tropical bliss. Our
Paradise.
Male
Voice
Pacific,
our Pacific. Home of peace-loving and
happy people. Melanesia … Micronesia …
Polynesia. Wherever we may come from in
the Pacific, we take pride in a lot of things, aside from those the tourists
come here for.
First,
we are proud of our way of life, the Pacific way of life, our culture. It makes sure that we live in harmony amidst
diversities … and that the children, the elderly and the weak will be taken
care of by families and local communities.
00:30 Female Voice:
We
revere the wisdom of the old people amongst us. Their collective wisdom is meant to help us
-
further strengthen family ties;
-
take care of the land… the forests … and the seas; and
-
settle conflicts between families, clans or villages.
We have
embraced religion in our way of life which further deepened our commitment to
the family and the community. While we
belong to various religions, we have realized that we are part of the same vast
Kingdom of god and, hence, we are all equal under His laws.
Male
Voice:
Although
we had our own unique ways to educate the youth on family and community skills
and values, we welcomed wholeheartedly the building of schools by the
government and the church. Our
communities substantially support these schools. We are all committed to educating the young.
We also
help the government build clinics and raise funds for their upkeep. There are many health volunteers recruited
and trained from amongst the local communities.
Indeed,
here in the Pacific, our people and their local organizations have a long
history of partnership with government and the church in doing development
work. Such is our way of life.
01:15 Female Voice:
Our
caring culture, this uniquely Pacific way of life, has helped us avoid some serious
problems usually associated with underdevelopment. For instance, poverty as found in Asian and African countries is
absent in Pacific countries.
In most
Pacific countries, life expectancy has been in the range of 60 to 70
years. Only in two countries has it
gone below 60 years.
Infant
mortality rates are low for most of the Pacific countries, in the range of 12
to 30 per 1000 live births. Only in
four countries have the rates gone above 60.
Adult
literacy is also high in most of the countries. Some countries have literacy rates over ninety percent. In most countries, the average year of
schooling is 6 to 9 years.
Per
capita income is generally higher compared to many countries outside the
region.
01:55 Male Voice:
These
are major gains. But we cannot rest on
our laurels. We cannot be
complacent. There are dark clouds in
the horizon. There are threats to our
way of life that we must overcome if we have to move forward to the
twenty-first century.
Mots of
us know about these emerging threats to our progress, to our well being, here
in the Pacific. Yes, we are starting to
have trouble in Paradise.
A
Doctor:
In most Pacific countries, there has been tremendous growth in population. And because the health status has vastly improved, death rates have declined for all age groups. There are more babies being born and surviving. Women bear 5 or more children. With more and more people in each country, there will be less and less for everyone. There will be quite a strain on existing facilities, such as schools, clinics, water and sanitation facilities, housing. There will be less land, food, and jobs available.
A Social
Worker:
More and
more young people are flocking to the main island in search of jobs. Most of them end up unemployed. Social problems, such as drunkenness,
misbehavior, crimes against poverty, drug addictions are starting to appear in
some of these population centers.
Available services and facilities are further strained in these rapidly
urbanizing areas. And scarce resources
intended for rural communities are disproportionately diverted to these areas.
Women
Leader:
Most of those who are left behind in the island are
women and old men. It’s the women who
now do most of the jobs. Some of the
pulaka pits have been abandoned. Most
families rely on imported food sold at the cooperative store. This change in eating habits is not good for
the health and nutrition of family members, especially the children. It is not an accident threat 15,000 Pacific
children die yearly before they reach their fifth birthday. (Audio in local language – Polynesian. English text superimposed).
Island Council President:
Sometimes
it is hard to find enough people to implement projects. Most of the things we would like to do for the
community require money. We need money
to build more schools, good roads, water supply, and toilets. We depend more and more on the central
government to implement projects and keep things going on the island. (Audio in local language – Micronesian. English text superimposed).
Male
Youth Leader:
The
young men who are left here on the island want to work, but we lack the skills
for good-paying jobs. We are actually
bored doing all these chores in the food garden. How we wish we can go elsewhere and work. (Audio in local language – Bislama. English text superimposed).
Village
Chief:
More and
more people do not respect local customs and traditional authority. The government has taken over most of our
functions. People remember us only when
they want to organize dances for tourists.
There seems to be a mad rush to era money. Nobody respects the tabu to prevent over fishing or the
destruction of coral reefs. People cut
down trees to plant kava and other cash crops.
They do not listen to us when we warn them about soil erosion and
flooding that will result if people cut trees indiscriminately. Everything is for money, money, and
money. (Audio in local language –
any Melanesian dialect. English text
superimposed).
Pastor/Religious
leader:
The churches are a close partner of government in meeting the development needs of Pacific islanders. We run schools, conduct training courses for mothers, organize sports activities for the youth, and support income-generating activities. And like government, we are finding it more and more difficult to have enough resources to sustain these services.
We face
problems in our schools. Some people
say that some of the things we teach young people are not relevant to improving
the quality of life in the island communities.
They say that we make young people want to get out of their home islands
and when they do, they end up frustrated for not being able to find work. There is also the drop out of school not
necessarily because of poor mental ability.
It may be because classroom facilities and teachers are lacking that
schools have to limit enrolment. Or
those parents are too poor that they cannot afford the rising costs.
05:00 Female Voice:
These
are some of the problems we face in the region. They show that indeed we can no longer ignore the silent crisis
of underdevelopment steadily creeping around us. To some of us, the Pacific is no longer the Paradise we once
knew.
There
are new aspirations in remote rural communities brought about by improved
communication, education and awareness about development. Frustrations and despair are starting to set
in because these aspirations are rarely met.
Pockets
of severe wants and deprivations are starting to emerge. Usually found in urban centers, they are cut
off from traditional sources of support from kin and the community. Petty crimes are getting rampant in these
areas.
Stronger
voices are now being heard about problems related to the environment:
deforestation, soil erosion, destruction of coral reefs and other marine
resources, drying-up of rivers, pollution of lagoons, and other problems.
Young
people and women are getting more anxious about their future. They are eager to assume new roles,
participate more in decisions which ultimately affect their lives and the
community, but often they do not find enough support and encouragement to do
so.
No. We cannot do development the old way. We must breathe new vigor to our pursuit of
the Pacific way of life. Our problems
are so intertwined like the roots of the banyan tree that piecemeal solutions
will not work. It is time that we talk
about a common vision of development.
05:45 Male Voice:
Let
us, then, talk about our own vision of development suited to our situation here
in the Pacific…
Sustenance
Fisherman:
First,
it is not development if it cannot reach all the people, including us here in
the remote islands. Development is for
all, not only for those who are in the main island. It should be more for those who have less in life. Development should help us improve a lot
that we can contribute more to the welfare of our family, community and
country. (Audio in local language –
I-Kiribati. English text superimposed.)
Woman
Food Producer:
Our
security here depends on the land.
Without a piece of land, nothing is sustainable. We cannot raise food for our subsistence;
neither can we plant additional crops to sell.
But most of the land here is under conflicting claims. It limits the area for planting. Hence, we have no choice but to go up the
slopes, open up more land for cultivation in the forest. Development should help us settle the land
conflicts and ensure land security for each family. (Audio in local language – Bislama. English text superimposed).
Old Man/Paramount
Chief:
Development should help us preserve values which
have helped our community to survive and endure… all these values are summed up
in one word – respect. Respect for the
human family. Respect and care of the
aged, the disabled and the children.
Respect for nature, the soil, trees and the sea. (Audio in local language – Fijian. English text superimposed).
Young
Women Leader:
Development can only be meaningful if it involves all those whose voices have not been heard loud and clear on matters affecting their lives. These include youth and women, and those who reside in remote rural communities. (Polynesian woman speaking in English).
07:45 Female Voice:
All
these constitute our vision of development for the Pacific. The United Nations Development Programme or
UNDP also promotes this vision of development Worldwide it is called
Sustainable Human Development.
Audio lifted from the UNDP administrator’s speech of 27 July 1993 (or read by the UNDP Res Rep; or by the CTA of ESHDP):
Sustainable
human development is, first of all, people-centered. It puts people first. It
meets their basic needs, including the need to attain self-reliance and
enlarges their opportunities, including the opportunities to live a long and
healthy life, to be educated and to have the resources needed for a decent
standard of living.
Sustainable
human development is also environmentally sound. It stresses the need to regenerate the natural resource base, to
increase the long-term productivity of the resource sectors, and to protect the
environment both locally and globally.
And sustainable human development is participatory. It can only be achieved where people have an opportunity in the events and processes that shape their lives; where entrepreneurs, women, non-government organizations, and others in civil society are empowered to take initiative and participate in both open markets and effective government; and where pluralism prevails and human rights and access to information of all types are guaranteed.
Sustainable
human development is an essential precondition to bring human numbers into
balance with the carrying capacities of nature and the coping capacities of
societies.
08:00 Male Voice:
And
how can development agencies and Pacific governments mutually support this
vision of development?
Here
are ten ways to help us make this noble vision come true:
(Alternate
Female and Male Voices)
First,
let us make sure that development funds go to real needs – to those who have
less in life, to support priority human concerns, to protect, enhance or
regenerate the environment.
Second,
let us involve new groups or those that have been neglected in the development
process: NGOs, women, entrepreneurs,
indigenous peoples, participants in the informal sector, local communities;
Third,
let us forge closer partnership and reciprocal responsibilities amongst
development agencies and governments towards effective use of scarce resources;
Fourth,
let us address global concerns – in environment, population, disease control,
and migration – by meeting local needs and ensuring access to technology and
financing;
Fifth,
let us support development projects with relevant policy reforms;
Sixth,
let us make external and macroeconomics forces – trade, debt management,
foreign direct investment and capital flows, and access to technology –
supportive of development objectives;
Seventh,
let us encourage a strong private enterprise sector and the use of market
forces and market-based mechanisms;
Eight
let us promote human rights and democratization;
Ninth,
let us encourage demilitarization;
Tenth,
let us build national capacities, both in government and the community for
sustainable human development.
09:30 Female Voice:
UNDP
assists governments, NGOs, local communities and other development partners
carry out these 10 ways to support Sustainable Human Development. In the Pacific, it has launched the
Equitable and Sustainable Human Development Programme which seeks effective
ways to help us put people first in our development concerns. It has also published the Pacific Human
Development Report or PHDR.
For more
information about the programme and PHDR, contact:
The
Programme Coordinator
Equitable
and Sustainable Human Development programme
UNDP
Suva,
Fiji
Telephone
Number 300-399 or Fax Number (679) 301-976.
10:00 Extro music
20 Jan 94