PORT ANGELES — Spending almost five days in a Third World country lets you see how ingenious people can be in finding simple solutions in the absence of technology, a city official said he learned in Indonesia earlier this month.
“This experience keeps you sharp,” said Public Works Director Glenn Cutler. “There’s different ways of looking at things.
“We have our high-tech solutions, but they have had to find simple solutions. It was a real eye-opener.”
Cutler and City Manager Mike Quinn traveled to the Indonesian city of Tanjung Redep, also known as Tanjung Redeb, April 15-25 to participate in a U.S.-funded technical assistance program.
They identified five projects where they could lend technical assistance between now and September 2005: solid waste, drainage, capital facilities planning, water management and education.
The projects were concentrated in a 2.5-square-mile district that will serve as a demonstration area.
Quinn said he and Cutler will serve only as unpaid consultants; the Indonesians will do all the work.
“Indonesia is a Third World country but they have a great attitude. They want to learn,” Quinn said.
“It was a good experience working with their staff.”
Quinn and Cutler visited Tanjung Redep under a collaborative program of the International City Management Association that provides technical assistance from U.S. city officials to their counterparts in developing countries.
It is funded by the federal U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. The agency funnels the money through the International City Management Association, and participating cities never see the total budget.