6 Dec 2005

Call for Nauru to lower expectations

5:05 pm on 6 December 2005

The United Nations Development Programme says it's vital Nauru's people lower their sights as the country and aid donors prepare to restore the economy.

The Nauru Government last week spelled out how it would go about this restoration and has called for aid donor support.

Richard Dictus, of the UNDP, says one of the dilemma's facing aid donors is how to ease the country towards its now third world reality after it had enjoyed two generations of great wealth.

He says a critical factor will be if the economy is rejuvenated through phosphate mining as the government hopes, then that income cannot be wasted on immediate consumption.

"They have to save more of the money and use less for consumption, but it is very very difficult once you have been used to a very good standard of living and the opportunity is there to live like that again today to say we are no longer going to do that. Again the political leadership in Nauru has clearly understood that they need to ask these questions and they need to ask the sacrifice from the people in order to create a future for Nauruan children over the next 100 years."