Lae’s information storehouse ignored

By PISAI GUMAR
THE oasis of colonial records that set the foundation of standards in growth for Morobe and its provincial capital Lae to rise to an industrial hub is sadly rotting away.
The building is the sanctuary to 1,080 cubic metres of colonial government files and records from 1954 until Independence in 1975 and further to 1996.
The files are all stacked accordingly on rows of numbered shelves.
The first repository contains 864 cubic metres of information whilst the second storage has 216 cubic metres of information.
Scholars, researchers, policy planners and historians will find the pool of knowledge very significant in academic endeavours and future development plans for Morobe.
Teachers and students will very much appreciate to learn the past, understand the present and know how Morobe came to being, to cope with current trend of changes into future.
Past and present Morobe leaders knowingly or unknowingly ignored the meaning and value of this information sanctuary established as an archive in March 1974.
It was meant to preserve government information files and records of respective divisions in Mamose and New Guinea Islands regions.
To satisfy my curiosity after 30 years in Lae, passing by the old termite-infested structure, I walked into the premises on Jan 12, to learn the meaning of the word ‘archive’ posted outside the building.
The locked front door diverted my feet to the back door which was half closed. As I knocked and shouted ‘hello, is anybody inside, my eyes peeked inside the empty dark room.
The front entry to the enquiry desk never seemed to attract regular visitors, maybe for the safety of three women working there – archivist Lendy Som, officer in-charge Julian Maki and attendant Regina Kaori.
Kaori appeared, examined me thoroughly without a smile and said “walk back to the front door.” I noted that client visiting days were Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The ladies have long been wishing for a Good Samaritan to give a new lease of life to the archive structure.
The archives will turn 43 years old come March, together with Som who was a young lady in 1974 who put her hand up to serve after an archivist training in 1973.
Som completed secondary education at Malabunga High School, East New Britain in 1972 and prior to being an archivist, worked for government stores and supplies. She is the longest serving archivist.
Prior to becoming the repository, it was the ComWorks (Work and Supply) building.
The Department of Education through the Archives and Library unit transformed the warehouse into the government record and file storage house at the artery of the industrial area, Montoro Street.
Despite its grimy look from outside, the ladies deserve an honor for the safe keeping and cleanliness of the interior of the building, well organised files and records kept on rows on numbered shelves.
As soon as the door opened, I could smell the pages of books kept in an air-tight room, no air condition but a stand-alone floor fan. Surprisingly, I could my image mirrored from the polished brown timber floor tiles.
At the front enquiry there are aptly organised rows of records and files lined out on numbered shelves.
The accession book that keeps entry to 1,080 cubic meters of information record files was at the enquiry table.
I let my hands flip the pages to the reports of colonial patrols, personnel and administrative files for respective divisions.
“Our main concern is how can we improve the structure, install cool rooms with specific lightings, computerised data storage, office equipment and proper fencing to keep this file records,” Som said.
The entry of land records interested me but no current record files are kept.
It has two repositories (storage areas) containing the records for tax census registers, kiap patrol reports, community school, high school, vocational centre and tertiary institution reports, works and supply (ComWorks) records, labour and workers compensation records, apprenticeship programmes, a Prime Minister’s file, policy planning and research records, finance and finance inspection reports, Department of Primary Industry (DPI) records, reports on forestry, local level government, justice (criminal and coroner), health, welfare and personnel management records.
The Prime Minister’s file contains nine boxes.
All this information reveals the birth of administrative and political functions and implementation of policies of various government divisions in Morobe from the colonial era to Independence until 1996.
There was not much on record for New Guinea Islands, Madang, East and West Sepik, instead only criminal and coroner’s court reports for Madang and Division of Primary Industry (DPI) reports for West Sepik are kept.
The building needs a cool room so the records do not become dry and brittle and the print does not fade from pages.
The departments keep their files for six years, and then invite the archivists to conduct appraisals to determine the information value of files and records for safe keeping.
From 1996-2016, none of the registries of various government agencies took the initiative to store their information records in the archives although some storage spaces are still available.
“I am wondering where these government divisions and agencies are storing their records or are they destroying them without second thought for future references,” Som said.
“Information is a fundamental element in the progress of any development, hence storing yesterday’s information helps one to compare current situations and plans for tomorrow’s developmental progress,” Som said.
Division nor departmental heads do not attend ‘record survey’ workshops which the Archives and Library Services facilitate to educate government officers about the significance of information storage.
Only few registry officers attend such workshops.
Most department heads never know the significance and value of information and record keeping for future purposes and therefore do not advise respective registry officers to store files.
“We are here for the people, people come to us for information.”
In 2004, Som visited all provincial divisions and departments in Lae to verify how they were storing closed files.
In 2011, AusAid funded the record survey for Salamaua, Wau-Bulolo, Mumeng, Mutzing and Boana for the last time.
It is crucial to store information in archives as information is the source and a powerful weapon in any development aspirations.
The skills and processes of storing information should be standardised and imparted by the out-going provincial programme advisors to their incumbents.
However, it is uncertain how and where government departments and divisions in Morobe store information after files are closed.