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by Edward Arambewala

In building a healthy city policy planners often make the mistake of ignoring public views. They think they know best, and try to do it their way.

It can never be done propery that way, because the city has to be built according to what the citizens want.

These views have been expressed by the WHO in a document in building healthy cities. The following is an extract from the World Health Journal 49 - No. 1 on healthy cities where this need to consult the public for their views in building healthy cities has been expressed.

What the public want

In building healthy cities it is widely accepted that the views of ordinary people are essential and must be taken into account when plans are being drawn up that will affect their lives.

Nevertheless, those views are rarely canvassed because it is not an easy task. Furthermore policy makers and planners often think that they know best what people want and what measures are good for them.

So they usually formulate plans without first getting the opinions of the people who will be affected. During the development of the healthy city plans for 'Kuching' in Malaysia, a Technical Committee was formed in which the two city councils played the leading role.

Its members were made up of officers from relevant Government Agencies in the city.

The first draft that was drawn up was based on the views of government officers and was considered inadequate, because it lacked the input of views and ideas from ordinary citizens.

The committee needed to know what ordinary people loved and hated about their own city. To find out they devised a simple interviewer based questionnaire for people who live in the city and people from outside who frequently visit and use the city facilities. They were asked to list five things that

a. they hated most

b. liked most about their city and

c. wished for most.

The findings of this survey were then used to complement the ideas of the official policy makers and planners.

This survey managed to gather valuable information. On balance - Kuching citizens had many things they liked in the city and a few things they hated. This is probably a reflection of the economic prosperity and peace that they enjoy. Nonetheless it is very important to deal adequately with those things that the citizens 'hate most' in order to ensure a continuous improvement in the quality of life for the citizens and for the citizens to take a liking, interest and love for their city that has been planned and done in consultation with them.

Isn't there much meat for thought for our city planners to take from this WHO document

- Health Watch.

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