SP invests K6mil in staff housing

By DALE LUMA
SOUTH Pacific Brewery managing director Ed Weggemans says the K6 million refurbishment of the Badili Hides accommodation units in Port Moresby is investment in company employees.
Investing in accommodation is important especially in a place such as Port Moresby where rental rates are high, Weggemans said.
He said this when launching the brewer’s K6 million refurbished Badili Hides compound yesterday.
“The investment budget was K6 million for 48 units (to be) available for eligible staff who will be housed in cleaned, well-maintained and affordable accommodation,” he said.
“SP Brewery continuously strives to provide quality staff housing for our people.
“I appeal to staff who will be tenants to look after the property and maintain it well.”
He said the company wanted to attract and retain good workers and the provision of decent housing was one of the ways to achieve this.
The staff housing compound consists of 48 accommodation units: 20 single bedroom units and 28 double bedroom units.
Long-serving staff Gill Hara who has worked with the company for 39 years as a fitter machinist said the company would save money on transportation as most of the staff would be living together in one compound.
“It’s so wonderful because for me working for 39 years and I moved in here around 1987 and until now that this renovation has taken place,” Hara said.
“The complex will save some cost for the company as well especially hiring busses to move around to pick staff at different locations.
“Now we are all come together, stay in one place, from the brewery to here.
“The company has some policies that we the workers must follow while living here as well.”
Hara joined the brewery as a metal fabricator and a welder and now looks after the brew house as a support engineer.
“From time to time before the Coronavirus (Covid-19) came, we travel to the Lae brewery as well to do some work and come back.
“I really like working for the SP brewery.
“I learn new things.
“It’s challenging but you have to learn how to fix the machines to get the process line going.”