Comments

These are two interesting and thought-provoking blogs. The case for focusing on "minimal essential data" is well made. While I agree there is a need for streamlining the data collection on health outcomes, I think there is also a case for increasing the collection - and use - of some of the basic costs of health service delivery. It is quite noticeable in a number of countries that there is little, if any, useful data collected on the actual cost of delivering a particular health service. As a result, there is no real basis, or incentive, for exploring more affordable or cost-effective alternatives. The lack of relevant data on costs is particularly noticeable in some "pilot programs" and / or when tracking how unit costs change - for example increase or decrease - as a particular new program scales up. Including some "minimum essential" data on relevant costs could therefore be part of the mix when considering how to make key health data more useful, and used.

Very interesting piece. It would be interesting to compare the experiences of rural village life between East and West Timor - are there any marked differences? From crop yields and agricultural techniques, to remittance income, government policy position (and implementation), quality of life measures - would be a fascinating study.

After 46 years as a Shipping and Port Consultant in Emergent Maritime Nations, I think I am just beginning to understand what aid projects are all about. The change to DDD would need to be pandemic. The good projects I have worked on, in an international industry regulated by the same international bodies universally has meant different things to different nations. The most successful have been in those nations where the majority of the politicians knew that they needed the project and they wanted the project, and where the policy of government was implemented by the civil servants. The donor funded the project and then did not interfere; the recipients were hungry for knowledge and wanted to learn; there was a local champion who had recently graduated from an international place of higher (highest) learning, who I identified early; I lived in the nation I was advising for at least three years; there was no fly in fly out! (When I started in 1974 fi-fo was impossible to most parts of the World.) The projects with the least outcome impact were where the project had been identified from outside by people who had little or no understanding of the industry being assisted; who were more interested in the political impact of giving aid (both at home and in the recipient nation), than the development impact of the aid they were giving; employing consultants who were ill-equipped outside of their academic specialities to comprehend the sociological aspects of their presence on the project, and where the time-scale to achieve the objectives was determined by budget limitations rather than the volume of capacity development needed. If no local champion was identified the outcome was worse. If the Civil Servants worked against the interests of elected government policy, project outcome was easily stymied. I am not naive and know that I am asking for the moon for projects to have the most valuable outcome, but that is why I say a pandemic is needed for change at almost every level.

I completely agree with you about why is NZ waiting to join a bubble with Fiji now that both are Covid-free. It doesn’t make any sense to me at all. Politicians have said its to protect the Islands from Covid-19 spreading there. But that seems patronising to me - we should let the islands decide for themselves what is best for them. If they think opening to the rest of the world is what’s best, then I’ll be surprised, but that’s their choice.

Thanks so much for the research and giving us the clear idea on effects of the TFFE policy.

Appreciate this piece. For all 3 awareness programs on the Tuvalu Foreign Policy and a televised (2-hour) panel discussion on values and culture in foreign policy, see the "Tuvalu Ministry of Justice, Communication and Foreign Affairs, Tuvalu Government" Facebook page.

I am waiting to come back also. I have tickets for July 13 which have been cancelled and rebooked by Fiji Air for Aug. 11th...Is this a random date they pick or are they allowing U.S. residents in at that point? I can't find anything online and even the airlines told me they were not blocking international travel that it was my country not letting me go. The fiji corona virus website in fiji was last updated in early march. I am American and have already paid for my stay at the Koro Sun Resort in SavuSavu (where I have stayed before) and was also going on a dive boat for a week. Just waiting to hear when it is allowed so I can confirm the dates with them.

Kim I totally agree that there is no point waiting for Australia if Fiji was disease-free first. And they need this access more than Australia. On paper it seems that New Zealand and Australia have sky high tourist arrivals but so many of those are actually what they call family and friends. Either way tourists coming from Australia and New Zealand would have access to way more of the main island and even the other islands than those in the Nadi bubble. Most of all this would give Fij i a lifeline nowand a chance to control their own destiny instead of waiting for New Zealand and Australia to decide for them. And because Australia has not conquered covid yet and because New Zealand has said they would make the bubble with Australia first and then start looking at other islands, we may be looking at next year before Fiji has a chance to have a bubble with anyone. If New Zealand isn't willing to do this immediately then Fiji should look to any other country(ies). This may also force New Zealand's hand so they stop delaying and make a deal with Fiji now as they're both disease-free. Why wait?

But the vast majority of tourists to Fiji are Australian and New Zealanders, so it would make much more sense to push for that bubble first. I’m not sure why a NZ/Fiji bubble couldn’t happen now? And Australia can join when they’re ready. Plus the idea that resort staff have to be separated from their family’s and live in a cordoned off area seems a bit sad for the locals.

This survey shows the opportunities for students to develop their skills right from the first semester of their graduate studies. As it is an eye opener for our students to start practicing skills like communication, presentation, statistical reporting, economic analysis etc. for their better employment and high standard of living. We sincerely appreciate the team conducted this survey and studies. Please include our students also for economic surveys conducted in future. Thanks and Regards Dr. Pious Thomas

Thank you Michael, yes I think many schools in PNG will find very hard to complete the units because of the time has been lost due to COVID-19.

Your welcome Dr Amenda Watson.