The results of an independent survey are a challenge to Solomon Islands and the Regional Assistance Mission (RAMSI) to keep moving the nation forward, RAMSI’s Development Coordinator said today.
Speaking at the launch of the 2007 People’s Survey, Mr Stuart Schaefer said there was no need for anyone to be frightened of the results of the survey.
These findings are the result of Solomon Islanders talking to Solomon Islanders about their lives, and their hopes and fears about the future of their nation Mr Schaefer said.
“We should see this as a challenge to us all to continue the good work that has made a real difference to the lives of Solomon Islanders since RAMSI arrived in 2003.
Independently conducted by Australian National University according to internationally accepted procedures, the People’s Survey 2007 provides nationwide community feedback on RAMSI’s work in Solomon Islands.
“People across Solomon Islands are telling us that they support RAMSI; are feeling optimistic about their future; and are sensing an improvement in the delivery of government services such as schools and health clinics”, Mr Schaefer said.
The survey shows that while people’s lives are improving, but delivery of services to the community is still very poor in rural areas.
Other key findings include:
• 62 per cent expected services to improve in the next two years
• 57 per cent said there was less general crime in their community compared with a year ago
• 56 per cent there was dishonest behaviour and/or misuse of power among senior people in their community
• 49 per cent health services had improved in the past two years
• 64 per cent said primary schools had improved
• 44 per cent said SIPF treats people fairly and with respect
Six questions out of the 77 questions in the survey asked directly about RAMSI’s role in the country. 90 per cent of those asked said they supported the presence of RAMSI’s in Solomon Islands.
The optimism of Solomon Islanders revealed in the survey was important feedback for all RAMSI stakeholders including the 15 countries that are working in the Regional Assistance Mission.
“It is a proud thing for these countries to know that their people are making a difference by working together with their Solomon Islands counterparts.” .
Mr Schaefer said the survey also contained a lot of information that would be of use to Solomon Islands other development partners.
Both RAMSI and the government had been briefed three times on the progress of the survey since December last year Mr Schaefer said.
“We are looking forward to again sitting down with government to discuss the final report and work out how to address the challenges people face in their everyday lives.
Mr Schaefer said central to the integrity of the survey was that the information was gathered by specially trained Solomon Islanders who conducted all the interviews for the Australian National University survey.
The survey was conducted with the assistance of the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office who provided advice on sampling, mapping, logistics, translation and printing of questionnaires for the survey.
Eighty-five Solomon Islanders were trained conduct the survey in teams of five, travelling to eight provinces and Honiara.
One of the interviewers, Osborne Cairns, said that a lot of work went into making sure the survey accurately captured the opinions of Solomon Islanders.
“The work for the survey actually started with the training of over 100 people as interviewers and then selected the top 85 people to carry out the survey.”
“To prepare the path for the field work, liaison officers were appointed to go before survey teams and liaise with village and community leaders and elders to explain to communities the purpose of the survey,” Mr Cairns.
Mr Cairns said that before asking any of the questions, the interviewers would always explain to the purpose of the visit and assure participants that all answers would be kept confidential.
“After we talked with people in villages about how the survey was independent and that their names wouldn’t be disclosed, they were happy to be interviewed and give their views”, Mr Cairns said.
Mr Schaefer said the survey findings were a part of a larger assessment of RAMSI’s work that would eventually tell the government and the mission when RAMSI’s job was done.
“There is a lot of information in this survey, some positive and other showing where and how a lot of hard work is still needed to improve the lives of Solomon Islanders”, he said.
“This is an important national survey for RAMSI as the results feed into the overall annual assessment of RAMSI’s performance against targets set by RAMSI’s mandate
Mr Schaefer said he’d like to pass on a message of thanks from the Australian National University to the thousands of people who took the time to complete the questionnaire, and the over 80 Solomon Islanders who travelled to eight provinces to conduct the survey.
Copies of the People’s Survey 2007 are on RAMSI’s website: www.ramsi.org [0] > go to useful information.