Office Life and Death

Monday morning a notice is circulated by PP, Acting Deputy Town Manager announcing that he was now the Acting Town manager (Chief Executive) and calling a staff meeting for 9.30 tues morning. In the afternoon electricians arrive in our section and we get 3 replacement power points and are told we can have 7 new light bulbs to add to our 5 working ones

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Monday night a visit from former Acting Town Manager TF at my house, he says that following intervention by the Chamber of Trade he has now been re-instated

Tuesday am I am expectantly in the conference room with its appropriate sign "Jesus - our only hope" for the meeting 9.30 on my own for 20 minutes when PP arrives.  A few others trickle in during the next 15 minutes and the meeting starts. The former Acting Town Manager TF has been suspended whilst enquiries take place into allegations. In the meantime we all need to “pull together as a team, collecting revenues and serving the residents….”

10:25 The Mayor Mike Kamu, TF, the District Administrator Laurence Pitor and District Finance Officer Helen arrive (the District Council is like the County Council though not usually in evidence)

LP says he has arranged this meeting – the Council is under performing in collecting revenue arrears and in providing a service to the community. The Council was virtually in the red at the end of the year, just not good enough – what an organisation! Patrick from the uk must be laughing at us. The elected Councillors were appreciative of the District Council’s involvement.

TF and PP were both being suspended whilst (unspecified) allegations were investigated.  In the meantime the staff had to work to improve the authority’s service, LP would be in charge until new temporary staff could be appointed (maybe 2 weeks) and in addition cuts in manpower would be made to improve efficiency. That’s all, end of meeting unless Patrick would like to say anything? (I should be prepared for such occasions!) I said that I still found the local government organisation confusing. I also noted that we had apparently put k15,000 (£4,000) in the 2011 budget for all the road and drains repairs and maintenance – clearly inadequate and should it be in our budget anyway when the legal responsibility for roads was with the Provincial assembly?

The Australian Aid chap Ron is dismayed (email from Adelaide) and queries if their support can continue – it was bad enough when the previous Acting Town Manager was evicted from the post 2 years ago –can Provincial administrators be made aware of Aus-Aid concerns?

Wednesday TF and PP are both back in their posts and trying to ignore each other after separately canvassing support within the Provincial govt (like a Regional Assembly but powerful) with politicians and officers 

It seems that this 2 year stint for Town Managers arises from an inevitable falling out with the elected members over their allowances and perks. The suggestion now by the town councillors seems to be that the post of Town Manager should become a 2 year contract each time to avoid the problems and heartaches that occur with removing even ‘Acting’ post-holders.

Thursday and my colleague Asa the building inspector is very busy trying to fit a luxurious two story new town hall design onto a site in the town centre on instructions from the Town Manager TF – words fail me!

Friday and news that the Mayor’s father has died so trips to the house to offer condolences and view the body. Asa instructed to find a space in the otherwise overfull and closed cemetery for a grave, design and supervise its preparation. Walking home I am hijacked by TF who has a live trussed pig in the back of the utility and we have to take it for the wake – happily I avoid the slaughter and cooking and am able to get home for a cold drink on the terrace of the sea facing restaurant

 my swimming pool

 3 minute walk from town centre

 Karkar Island the only active volcano in the province

Country Club

Last friday I was taken to the “Country Club” for a quiz night to rescue me  from my usual low life – all wealthy ex-pats and a few rich locals drinking, slapping each other on the back, reminiscing about the good old times and planning for their next golf fixture and bowls event. Like going back in a time warp to colonial days!  Still I guess they are a part of the community we are planning for and many have become PNG citizens and make a contribution to the local economy.

Saturday I caught a little boat from the harbour to visit Siar Island which is less than a kilometre across, had to take my socks and shoes off to wade ashore where I was met by half a dozen children who insisted on showing me round the island after I had taken their photos. Lots of decaying Japanese remnants of the war, bunkers, bits of planes and ships, graves etc but all overgrown in the jungle – amazing how jungly a little island can be. Little sandy beaches, a girl catching fish with a spear and then a coconut to drink and catching a boat back by waving one down that was passing by from further up the coast.

In the office its all change as my boss has served the normal two years as acting town manager and is now replaced on instructions from the Provincial office by his deputy, Philip – a manager whose management style is to shout at people or he thinks he is not doing his job. We will see how we get on fairly soon I guess.

 more noisy bats

 Uninhabited Island

 Siar Island