The Papua New Guinea Nurses Association is one of the ‘best-managed industrial organisation, declared the Industrial Registrar, Helen Saleu, during their Savings and Loans Society launch recently.
“I am very proud to witness your achievement. This is one of the best-managed industrial organizations in the country. I saw the Nurses Association grow since I became the Registrar in 2001.
“I saw this place grow into what it is today and it is because of you the management, and I congratulate you, the national treasurer and you the vice president together with Mr Kebai,” Ms Saleu commented.
She said the association’s president has been repeatedly voted into office by the members because they had seen the leadership quality he possessed, thus ensuring continuity that saw the establishment of a Nurses Savings and Loans Society.
Ms Saleu admitted there were challenges along the way when in discussions with the PNG Nurses Association, sometimes met with disagreements, but said that is the way good organisations are managed.
“Management of organisations in this country is a real problem. We need to now move on and ensure that this organisation serves its purpose.
She explained that the unions are not meant for the management but for their members. Having a union enables welfare development to take place like the savings and loans society they have established now.
“Members be proud of yourselves because we are living in a society where the cost of goods and services have gone up and our salaries are so fixed that it cannot even sustain us for two weeks. In addition, how do we own homes, when the banks have many requirements that we have to meet? So through this scheme, having come from the welfare fund I said okay,” she said.
Ms Saleu further said that organisations, by law can have welfare funds but for the Nurses Savings and Loans, they now need to tap into the Band of PNG as the regulator of all these welfare and loan societies.
“And I’m so proud to stand here and witness this signing. It is a milestone and nurses, I’m so proud that you have your own. Instead of going to TISA’s and joining the cue, you have your own.”