I’m very anxious…

The prospect of being home by xmas is not looking terribly crash hot. About two weeks ago I initiated the process of contract termination, including the payout of monies owed. Although there remains over three weeks before we hit xmas – I am not terribly confident (at this stage) of being paid out outstanding entitlements. Under the circumstances and considering the poor record PNG institutions have (that includes UNITECH) in settling their accounts – I have made a decision not to book my flight home back home to Sydney until every cent owed is sitting in my back account.

My main concern has to do with Superannuation. Personal contributions plus employer contributions adds up to approximately 20% of overall salary – a rather substantial amount. I feel that the day I set foot outside of UNITECH and leave – my bargaining power all but disappears. Why am I concerned? Well, here is a PNGism for you… I checked with the Super fund last week and they have no record of having received any contributions on my behalf and in fact do not even have my name of file. What does that suggest? This suggests that UNITECH has not forwarded any contributions on my behalf in the whole 20 months that I have been employed by UNITECH, nor have I been registered.

This situation plus the way the power's been behaving lately – power on and off, on and off, more off than on in fact (a bit like a bride's nightie) all day everyday for the past week and a bit – both these situations are increasing my levels of frustration.

Frustration…  one of those things that one needs to learn to deal with effectively in PNG – or else! Continued frustration leads to stress and stress leads to a whole gamut of not so nice things.

More will be revealed…