| Sports |
Reviving the
co-operative spirit
Ekatiti Arifeae
plays a part in the battle against poverty in his Gulf province
village, writes JACK METTA
POVERTY is created by a lot of
factors, the main one being the lack of freedom to be able to do
what you want to do.
Ekatiti Arifeae believes this is particularly so when that freedom
is deprived by the very people you mandate to take the shackles
off your ankles and set you free to pursue your dreams.
“I guess you could say that with one freedom, you pay for it with
other freedoms. But at the end of it all, you regret that the
problem is very much man-made.”
Ekatiti’s philosophy seemed hard to swallow at first until he
explained that Papua New Guineans had seen better days during the
colonial regime.
“The rule of law ensured everyone lived a reasonable life, guarded
by rules and once you managed to live within the rhythm of the
system, your guardians ensured you reaped the rewards.
“Essential services such as education and health care were freely
provided and made easily accessible and convenient; income earning
opportunities were there for the taking and money flowed freely
for those who worked hard to earn it, particularly those who
worked the land.
“There was authority and respect for the hand that delivered the
services and there was reason and order and patience in life and
the Good Book tells us, that patience breeds wisdom.
“People knew how to live then and eke out an existence from their
environment. Nobody really complained.”
Ekatiti grew up in an era of “cooperation” — everyone pitched in
to help one another. In time, the community helped itself and
benefited from that cooperation.
He remembers well as a growing young man that he was obsessed with
rice and the passion for it was a constant rumble in his stomach.
And the positive aspect of his life then was that he never had to
go far as Port Moresby and Kerema ( as he does today) to sample
his favourite.
All he needed to do was gather a couple of coconuts and make copra
which he sold to the local co-operative store and his goose …
rather his rice, was as good as cooked.
Ekatiti deems the period between 1948 and 1975 as the happy years
of co-operation.
“Everyone worth his salt was a member of the cooperative society.
The community basically lived off their ‘convenient store’ for
income and introduced foodstuff and items.”
Since independence in 1975, Ekatiti believes life had turned for
the worst.
“That era broke down the freedom of cooperation that the people
relished. We are paying the price for it through corruption, lack
of basic services and infrastructure or the deterioration of
same.”
In his early 50s, Ekatiti believes the people are paying
“convenience and accessibility” for independence.
The co-operative movement had since ceased, shareholders never
recouped their money and many had died without claiming a toea
from their investments.
Now, a village peace officer, Ekatiti often dreamed of the old
days and inspired by the recent co-operative movement getting back
on line, acted.
“It sort of happened, like when you are thinking of doing
something and someone behind you pushes you forward and directs
you to your objective and destination,” he recalls.
“I guess, it was the old store at the village. The doors were
closed and the windows shuttered, standing there idly for years
and you keep asking yourself why should it be as such?”
With some living shareholders from the past and a few like-minded
colleagues in the village, Ekatiti set up the Tauri River
Co-operative Society last October and heads the group as its
chairman.
The old store at Savaiviri village on the bank of the Tauri River
near Malalaua in the Gulf province, is the society’s ‘new’ office.
With the establishment of the society, came a vision which Ekatiti
wants to share with the people, particularly the young men and
women from Savaiviri, Tapala, Keke and Muka.
“I want them to join the co-operative. I’ve been there; I know the
benefits that can be reaped. Things will be convenient and
accessible again.”
There is another quest though.
Ekatiti intends to pursue the powers that be who are holding onto
the investments of his fathers and grandfathers and re-divert
their funds into the new society for the new generation.
He has called on the Federation of the Co-operative Societies, the
office of the Public Curator and the Finance Department to find
and give back to the Moveave and Toaripi people of the Gulf
province what is rightfully theirs.
And he believes these things will come because God is just.
“The Lord has shown His hand in inspiring me to revive the
co-operative movement at Savaiviri and He is blessing us with new
discoveries of oil and gas on our land.
“How true it is that ‘those who laugh last, laugh best’.”
And we are reminded of the Wise Counsellor’s words: “Your best
investment in the future is a godly influence in the present…”
 
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