| Sports |
Mary Karo, the
perfectionist
JACK METTA profiles
a prominent Port Moresby woman who has set her sights on
this year’s national election.
THIS year could be the start of
radical changes in the PNG political landscape.
Now more than ever, women are standing up to be counted and the
sentiments of a great number of Papua New Guineans are leaning
towards the gentler sex in a hope that a woman’s touch in their
lives could create a change for the better.
They are convinced that the male-dominated lawmakers of this
country have not improved their lot over the past 31 years of
independence because they are too busy building their own empires,
attempting to hide the traces of their ill-gotten gains and
activities, evading leadership tribunals and criminal
prosecutions, or waiting for justice to be carried or simply
ousted from office for their dealings.
Even in those rare occasions when they could be striving to
provide or obtain goods and services for their people, the time is
spend on petty politics that are of no direct benefit to the
people.
They believe this is the reason why tangible benefits that could
be reaped from their share of the national purse over a five-year
term of office have hardly been realised.
As a result, the law and order problem persists in all sectors of
our society, discipline and morale is low among the forces that
carry the name, parents struggle to make ends meet and young men
and women toss and turn like leaves in the wind with no direction
and hope for the future.
In practically all sectors of the community from Port Moresby to
the most remote sporting field in Sandaun, women are now burying
the oft-held phrase that ‘the father/man of the house is the
breadwinner’.
No more. Women or mothers especially, with their inherent
characteristic of protecting and fending for their children are
becoming more and more involved in the informal sector because all
else had failed and this was where a small income could be earned
to cater for the needs of her children and family.
In the cities, the women are paying the price for their concerns
too. They are being mistreated, abused and beaten by the powers
that be in their quest to earn their keep.
And those who are dishing out the inhumane treatment via thugs are
the powers that be that are mandated by the very people on the
street who are struggling to survive.
It seems this is the price to pay for one’s vote and that sparkle
of hope that life can be somewhat made a little bit more
comfortable in an already harsh environment that is city life.
And the catch cry now is ‘enough is enough, it is time for a
change’.
Nary a day goes by on the ‘eve’ of national elections do we hear
voices raised and concerns expressed about electing good leaders
to Parliament, who would strive over and above selfish interests
to improve the people’s lot.
Election in election out, choices have been made and Papua New
Guinea is still wallowing in the squalor of poverty, corruption,
ambiguous governance and rampant law and order problems.
One person who has heeded the call and believes strongly that she
can bring about that change is former diplomat, corporate chief
executive officer and businesswoman Mary J Karo.
Armed with her vast experience in these respective fields, Mrs
Karo is literally marching off to war to win, for it is battle
stations when she joins scores of men to unseat incumbent Moresby
South MP and Minister for Community Development Dame Karol Kidu in
the June elections.
She is quietly confident of herself, a trait further boosted by
the blessing of her husband Albert, a former State minister and MP
for the very seat that she is now going contest.
“In life, to embark on a journey, one needs to ensure that one
leaves one’s house in good order and I am thankful that this is
so,” Mrs Karo tells Rootmettas in an interview yesterday,
referring to her husband’s support of her quest.
Mrs Karo not only has her husband’s backing in quest to bring
about a change for the better, she also has the support of the
late Sir William Skate.
“In late December 2005, just 12 days before he passed away, Sir
William encouraged me to stand for the seat,” Mrs Karo recalled.
Sir William felt the electorate wasn’t getting the attention it
needed and schools, clinics and road infrastructure were falling
into disrepair and needed someone of Mrs Karo’s will, experience
and credentials to make the difference.
Indeed, the mother of four and grandmother of 11, came to be where
she is through the hard way and in the process, picked up the
vital tips and skills needed to put success in life.
She is meticulous in her planning, whether its to do with meeting
potential voters or things to do at the house – it is in her
nature. And it shows in her current plans to become a leader of
the people.
She manages her time and ensures what needs to be done is done and
more. She follows it up and makes it a point to know the first
names of all she meets.
She considers it the real “person to person” meeting.
Coming from a broken family and the fifth born in a family of
eight children, Mrs Karo grew up determined to be a perfectionist.
“My first job after graduating with a commerce certificate was
with a hardware company in Lae.
“Little did I know then that the experience there would later
prove most appropriate in my job as chief executive officer of Eda
Ranu,” she jokes.
On the topic of jobs, Mrs Karo says she firmly believes in jobs
for youths and landowners.
“Many of them have missed out on job opportunities and fringe
benefits of developments taking place on their land and this is
wrong.
“As stakeholders, it is their inherent right to be offered jobs
and contracts as a matter of priority,” she says.
“I am a management and technically oriented person. I can look and
pick up the deficiencies and help to revitalise the project.
“We have a youth problem in our society and you need to have
appropriate youth policies in place that must be driven in order
to obtain results.
“We can have youth centres which could create opportunities for
our young people to learn skills and find jobs. There is money
available through the system for these things.
“We should be encouraging mothers in their involvement in the
informal sector.
“Rather than beating them up, damaging and destroying their wares
and chasing them away, we should to be policing the laws, creating
an awareness and driving concerted public relations.
“We do have laws that encourage self-reliance,” she says.
She believes an economic base needs to be established so as to
encourage the society’s disadvantaged to become actively involved.
She feels this is where a lot of our problems could be minimised.
In her capacity as Eda Ranu CEO, Mrs Karo instigated major changes
within the system to make it a profitable organisation.
She also initiated water projects for a couple of coastal Motuan
villagers and a sewerage project for Kirakira village which was
now coming to fruition with the help of the Japanese, long after
she left the company.
“These are the results of analysing the people’s needs and
pursuing and achieving the goals; as long as they are manageable
and sustainable for the betterment of the community at large,” she
says.
Mrs Karo is also very much custom-oriented.
“We respect deaths, births, marriages as a family and by the same
token, in any society, this is the binding factor.”
Mrs Karo’s worst fear is that of insecurity and as a mother, she
knows it all too well.
“God has given us each the natural ability to pursue and achieve.
We must persist at all times with their hope,” she says.
Mrs Mary J Karo has fixed her eyes on her goal – to be a good
leader for her people.
And God knows, the sky’s the limit and Mrs Karo has set her course
for just that.
And we are reminded of the Wise Counsellor’s words: “Every life
needs a purpose to which it can give the energies of its mind and
the enthusiasm of its heart …”
 
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