Gulf province is in a terrible and dying state
This starts from the roads, school infrastructure and public offices to the lack of essential drugs in remote aid posts in the villages.
In a visit to the province, Loop PNG interviewed key persons whose cries have been falling on deaf ears.
On a media tour to Lese Oala Catholic Aidpost in East Kerema, community health worker and officer in charge, Adamson Patanio expressed his concern about the shortage of essential drugs and specialized equipment for patients.
In the last 14 years since he took up the post in Lese Oala, there hasn't been much change or development in the area.
"Common communal diseases like malaria are very hard to treat when we don't get supply on time or not at all."
He said the aid post can only supply amoxicillin and camaquin to small kids who catch malaria and come to the aid post for treatment.
"Running water is also a problem when we need it the most in the aid post for patients and we see at least 20 patients in a day," he adds.
The health worker and his family have to supply water from their home to the hospital every now and then when needed.
There is only one school servicing this area, however this school is also drowning in flood.
Classes were cancelled as the whole school area was covered in water.
This was due to continuous rain fall on the area which caused the swamp areas to overflow into the village area.
A line of classrooms built in the 70's was still in use until recently when it deteriorated to the state where it became unsuitable for kids to sit in.
Teachers told media that the six new classrooms that are currently being used by the students were donated by AusAid and that was some years back.
Media also took a tour to the electorates Local Level Government. The building was also covered in overgrown bushes. Officers avoided questions and the media were unable to get comments from local officers in the building.
When media interviewed locals in the surrounding villages, most of them said it has become a norm for the provincial government to neglect its people like this.
A community leader, Steven Mehere said, the people's literacy level is very low and there are less and less job opportunities for the young people.
"We need leaders with vision and action to move Gulf out of this low life state in this year’s election."
He adds that the leaders of each clan have taken upon themselves to make their people more aware of the consequences of their votes in the elections and what's to come of it in years to follow.
