Huge difference at Paradise

Weekender
BUSINESS
CEO James Rice.

By PETER ESILA
THE Paradise Company belongs to the people, the people belong to the country, and the country belongs to God, chief executive James Rice says.
This is coming from the boss of the company that makes the famous Em Nau biscuit and Gala ice cream apart from a range of other list of food and beverages.
Rice who has been in the country for 16 months now, in his role as CEO, appointed a company chaplain in Pastor Israel Arua in October last year.
A year has passed since the appointment and I contacted Rice to (apart from my usual business stories) get an update on the chaplain story.
“The chaplain does about 15 to 20 individual counseling sessions a week, and visits homes or hospitals about once every two weeks for family counseling or illness,” he tells me.
“The difference in our company culture is huge, people smile at work, and they are happy to be here.
“Family and personal problems that affect work get some help from our chaplain.”
“And all my employees come to work early because they don’t want to miss the prayer and devotion before the shift, I tell other CEOs this and they are so surprised!”
“I’m the only CEO who gets all his employees to work early!”

Ps Israel Arua.

Ps Arua’s schedule is quite busy each day.
Every day starts with a ministry and prayer session in one department.
“For example, Monday morning is the chocolate factory, Wednesday morning is the Laga distribution center and Thursday morning in the Paradise engineering department.
“During the day the chaplain is in his office for counseling or he is walking around our facility talking to people,” Rice says.
The chaplain spends two weeks in Port Moresby and one week in Lae on a repeating schedule.
“Many companies have told me they will also add a chaplain,” Rice said.
“Our business is up 30 per cent this year. I’m sure one of the reasons is that we are a PNG-owned company and we are a Christian company. All of PNG knows this and I think they want to support us. The company belongs to the people, the people belong to the country, and the country belongs to God,” Rice said.
Everyone has their own issues and personal problems in their lives and at home but the last thing that bosses don’t want is for your problem to interfere with your hourly job.
Even though business is business, and time is money, still it is better to address that.
It is the hope of Rice that Paradise lights a fire in the country for other companies to consider having a company chaplain to make a difference in the lives of the average worker, who spends one third of his life at the workplace.
Rice wants to continue to provide a way for employees to seek guidance, counselling, mentoring and advice on any issue they may be facing in the work place or home life.
“We hear funny stories like: “I used to steal from work, and now I don’t” but I mostly hear that people are proud to be a part of our company.
“And when I come to work in the morning there are always people outside the gate who want to work for us, that means we have created the right work environment for our people,” he said.
Ps Arua has been very busy, not to preach denomination, he says, but faith in God.
He encourages prayer life, holds Bible studies, makes home and hospital visitations and coordinates the company’s participation in relevant humanitarian and community programmes affecting people.
“A chaplain is not about denomination or church but about faith. When I come and talk to the staff, they are not offended. I do not talk about church, all I want to talk about is God, Jesus and Holy Spirit and the Bible.
Ps Arua is an ordained and practicing pastor with Christian Outreach Centre (COC) in both field and administrative ministry for more than 20 years. His work has given him substantial opportunities and experiences in providing godly counsel and direction to many people of all walks of life from criminals to company executives and politicians.
Ps Arua said some of the issues that he has dealt with since being in the position were marriage-problems, arguments, salaries, adultery, depression, stress, rebellious minds and alcohol abuse.
Rice concludes: “I told my employees, I would rather have God in my company than big rules that you can do or can’t do.”
Paradise Company Ltd is the holding company of Paradise Foods Ltd and Laga Industries Ltd, and is owned by Nambawan Super Limited and Comrade Trustees Limited.

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