Buang man pioneers city PMV service

By JAYSON KOAMA
TRANSPORT services in Port Moresby and Central were minimal in the 1970s.
One of the pioneer PMV businessmen of Port Moresby, the late Jerry Dujew had a particular interest to deliver this service to the people of Port Moresby and Central region.
Jerry arrived in Port Moresby in 1957 with his wife Lucy Walong, from Lagis Village in Buang, Bulolo District, Morobe.
He worked as a domestic worker for Australians during the colonial days earning about $3 as his fortnightly wage.
Being very committed to his job, he saved enough money from his wage throughout the years and aimed to pursue his interest in running a transport business.
In 1966 he bought his first truck in Port Moresby and became one of a first PMV owners to have a transport business registered with the blue registration plate and operated as Buang Transport, carrying passengers from Hanuabada to 7-Mile.
As the years went by, he had three trucks registered under the Buang Transport trading as Buang Taxi Trucks with the assistance of Port Moresby Business Promotion Centre. A spokesman of the group said the Buang Taxi Trucks were set up by 32 men from the Buang area of Morobe district and the group had 37 vehicles of which 25 were operating with PMV license registrations.
Later in 1968 Jerry founded a company known as “Jerico” and was operated by his two clans from Buang.
However, his trucks provided only a limited service and coastal people from Hula, Babaka, Kalo and Makerupu areas from Central still travelled by canoe to Koki market to sell their fresh foods and other produce.

Jerry meets a Hula friend
One day Jerry met a friend from Hula at Koki market and helped him and his family to the village and saw the need for transportation in the area for the people and he decided he would purchase another vehicle to assist the people there and other villagers as well.
Travelling to and from he was told by the villagers that they walked from their villages to Kwikila market to sell their produce which was quite a distance for them and they told him they would show him the bush tracks from Kwikila market to their villages. He turned bush tracks into vehicle tracks driving in and out of the villages every day.
He understood their struggles to make ends meet so he allowed for passengers who didn’t have enough to travel and pay later if they had enough money to do so.
In 1968, he bought a brand new truck for AUD$1,000 at what was known as Toba Motors at Badili.
He registered the truck and travelled the routes from Koki market to Magi Highway, Rigo, and Saroa and to Kwikila station.

Meeting Lus, Somare and Voutas
In 1972, DeJew was invited into the House of Assembly and had a meeting with Sir Michael Somare, Sir Pita Lus, Sir Tony Voutas (a kiap and the founder of Pangu Pati) and other members of the house and discussed his business expansion as he had his personal business files with the House of Assembly and had the interest to push further on his business venture.
With the support of the Department of Business Development he founded his new business known as “JR & Co Taxi Trucks Proprietary Limited” workshop in 1973 and it was opened by the Commerce Minister then, Pita Lus.
“It is encouraging to see more Papua New Guineans running business and the Government wants more Papua New Guineans to run businesses and would give every assistance in all types of ventures,” Lus said at the opening.
Jerry had a heart to serve the unfortunate; children and the elderly travelling on his PMVs were not asked to pay.
As required by the transport division of Central (now the Central Province Transport Authority), he ensured all his PMVs were in roadworthy condition so each morning, they underwent quick checks at the workshop before commencing business operations to avoid accidents.
His drivers and fare collectors were also in uniform so that passengers could identify them easily.
Alcohol consumption, smoking and chewing of betel nut were strictly prohibited inside the PMVs and the crew made sure none of these happened on board any JR & Co Taxi Trucks PMVs.
As he was developing his business, he successfully won a tendered for a portion of a land opposite what is now Holiday Inn (formerly known as Islander Hotel) in Waigani and was asked by the Government to form an association and become a partner with Mobil Niugini to provide refueling services in NCD.
From the partnership he took another step in forming a new business arm know as Hume Traders Taxi Services and carried on the operations throughout the years and founded the Mobil Service Station.
After independence, in 1978 he changed the blue registration plates of his PMV’s to orange plates transporting passengers on the Magi highway and Hiritano Highways on daily.
His businesses prospered and other competitors came into business with him having set up around the city limits and Central.
On Jan 13, 1993, Jerry passed away at the Port Moresby General Hospital leaving his businesses and family behind.
He was an honest and humble man who always loved his family and insisted on the best service to his clients and customers. He kept his business to himself and his family.
Following in his footsteps is one of his grandsons Robert Jerry Junior Dujew who is now a trustee representing Hume Traders coordinating the restoration of the businesses.