Development is always needed, including the people of West Papua who also want to experience infrastructure development like other regions. Because if you want to continue to grow, then supportive means are needed, and external roles can help.
Papua has about hundreds of thousands of villages spread across the largest island. However, is it possible for the people there to be able to improve their standard of living from being just a village to being more advanced? It will be possible to see the potential it has.
According to 2011 census data, the population in the western province of Papua has reached 718 thousand people. And to support the needs of these hundreds of thousands of people, infrastructure is really needed. But this is still a rare thing there.
In fact, if you look at the success of other villages, almost all of them can be successful because of development intervention from the start. If there is already 1 infrastructure, then economic work will take place and that encourage other infrastructure to emerge.
Role of External Part in West Papua Infrastructure Development
Previously, many still thought that only the local government had the authority to carry out development, both on a small and large scale. However, it turns out that the external role is also one of the keys to the success of village development.
If external parties are willing to build infrastructure in West Papua, then the impact that will be felt will start from the operational stages and implement them to something more needed. Usually, external parties are more focused on business interests.
They will build something that can operate needs more strategically, look for what the local community needs, to issue a product that is a solution to what needs to be a key to success so that a region can grow and develop.
On the other hand, because of this “need” aspect as well, the role of the external part in infrastructure development will be more appreciated. On the one hand, the infrastructure overcomes certain problems, and on the other hand, infrastructure gives a new idea.
The Development is the Key for West Papua to Success Gate
And this must always be remembered, development is what is needed and it is a key to the success of the land of Papua. Through many developments, automatically there will be more and more attention from outside parties, different if there is no development.
The government is also starting to become more aware of this so it plans several developments aimed at reducing poverty and distributing infrastructure throughout Indonesia. So it gets a development fund donation.
In 2021, the western province of Papua received 3.75 trillion rupiah, which was allocated to 543 million for natural resources, infrastructure for road and bridge construction with 2.6 billion rupiah, and settlements and housing reaching 550 million rupiah.
This aid fund will certainly be a way to get closer to the gate and immediately put West Papua on par with other Indonesian provinces. Because it’s a shame if the great potential that is owned is not utilized as well as possible.
Infrastructure Development Plans for West Papua
Development is accelerating and targeting more strategic sectors. The government has begun to aggressively build infrastructure on the easternmost island of Indonesia. Some of the infrastructures that is being prepared by the local and national governments include:
- Sports Facilities
Prior to the implementation of the PON, the West Papuan contingent received several additional injections from sports infrastructures such as the archery arena and field. This is also one of the reasons why this team can be in the 24th.
- Continuing the Trans Papua Project
In the road infrastructure sector, this province is one part of the road project throughout Papua which has been started in 2018. In this province, the area is divided into 2 sections, namely sorong, maybat, and manokwari along 595 km.
With this infrastructure, a trip that previously took days can now be completed in just 14 hours. The purpose of this infrastructure was also built in order to connect the economic centers, namely Sorong and Manokwari.
- A New Road in the Arfak Mountains
The people of West Papua should be grateful because they can now go to the top of the Arfak Mountains with a smooth road. Even President Joko Widodo has discussed with the Arfak mountainous district government for further development.
- Airport
The airplane mode of transportation is still often used by the Papuan people for economic needs. A total of 4 airports will be built in this province, including Monokwari, Raja Ampat, Wasior Baru Airport, and Baru Siboru Fak-fak.
- Port
The next infrastructure that is the center of government attention is the port. To support economic needs, the government has built a port that connects several regions located in this province.
Strategic development will be a means of growth for the Papuan people. Now, there have been several developments carried out simultaneously with financial assistance from the government. So that the people of West Papua can live in better conditions.
