Community-led engagement with government and the role of community brokers in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea

The form of engagement between communities and government is important in determining outcomes in natural resource management, of what resources are negotiated, how resources are managed, who participates, and the distribution of benefits. In two case study communities in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, engagement depended on the clan and community allegiances of community leaders to their elected representatives. These leaders acted as “community brokers” who negotiated and influenced community access to government decision-making, government access to community members, and government support for local projects. They represented community members through informal lobbying and mobilizing their support base through institutional networks, particularly during election campaigns. Government was perceived by communities as a source of resources. The participation of community groups in decision making and their access to public resources depended on the successful election and lobbying support of their leaders with local political candidates. Community brokers facilitated a political system that served a few select interest groups