Joyce Nikuniku is simply known as Meri Samarai by the people of West New Britain.
She hails from Boianai village in the Rabaraba District of Milne Bay Province, but has lived in West New Britain since 1967. Joyce will leave the office she commenced work with as a KBO and Confidential Secretary.
“Agriculture is and will always be the backbone of this nation. The Oil Palm Industry has greatly influenced the revenue sector of the government. Those of us who work in the industry are silent achievers. They has never been a boycott nor strike or any disruption in the Agriculture Industry in this country as some other industries experienced. In Agriculture it is always a win-win situation for everyone.”
Joyce commenced employment as a relieving KBO with what used to be called DALAF (Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries) working under the Division of Export Crops on September 28, 1986. A year later she applied for a fulltime KBO place and has been serving OPIC clocking almost 30 years this year.
Joyce served the Oil Palm Industry working under different project managers namely; Ashley Barnes, Robin Atkins, Philemon Tainole, Frank Lewis, Steven Oiza and the current acting project manager Michael Buka.
Joyce also highlighted some achievements working with OPIC in the Hoskins Project, such as the Village Oil Palm and Customary Rights Purchase initiatives. The Mama Lus Fruit Scheme set up by Frank Lewis and the trial and error period of the Mobile card (now called the C – Card) which has been adopted by other sites.
The challenges are many, she says but I think the biggest one would be in the area of Communication and Information Technology. As she leaves, she hopes that in future, all OPIC officers will be trained to use the internet and access information so they can disseminate to growers.
Taking away a wealth of experience and dealing with people daily in their issues surrounding their Oil Palm Blocks and lots of memories of what has transpired over the 30 years existence of Oil Palm is something she will be fond of in the life after work.
Joyce has also been involved with the PNG Red Cross programs in West New Britain Province and at times has been conducting training programs for them. She will be living at her family block at Tamba LSS and is looking forward to contribute in assisting women in agriculture and their training programs in the months to come.