Robert@PNG

It’s been a little over two years since I first landed at Jackson’s Airport in Port Moresby. When I first arrived in PNG I had absolutely no idea what to expect and to be honest I was scared out of my wits. The Australian media and the Government’s travel advisory body describe Papua New Guinea as a hostile, dangerous and conflict riddled part of the Pacific. Since landing in PNG on that hot day back in April 2005 many things have happened for me; yes, there is violence and yes, there is crime but there also exists simplicity together with a level and quality of human interaction that has all but disappeared from my city of origin, Sydney.

Prior to coming to PNG I was employed in the Information Technology (IT) Industry for over twenty years. My last position prior to coming to PNG was with Local Government where I was the IT Manager for a large Sydney Council. Earlier in my career I worked as a programmer and was involved in the design and implementation of several software application systems. I later moved into the technical field and learnt all about networking, communications and operations management. During the past decade or so I was involved in leading IT Projects and eventually ended up in middle management.

Twenty years of working in an office and living in suburbia eventually got the better of me and I made a decision to seek adventure. The opportunity presented itself to become a volunteer through Australian Volunteers International and after serious thought coupled with a thorough and a lengthy application process, I found myself on route to The Land of the Unexpected.

For the first twenty months I was employed as a Lecturer within the Department of Business Studies at UNITECH and taught courses within the Information Technology stream. I thoroughly enjoyed the lecturing role and found working with students to be incredibly rewarding.

Something happened for me during my time in Lae and I ended up falling in love with Papua New Guinea, the country and also its people.

PNG has been very much a personal journey; the humanness that I have experienced since coming here has taken me to places within the heart and soul that I never knew existed. I have faced fear and frustration, I have witnessed more suffering and struggle than I ever had before and above all I have found a sense of belonging, something that the Developed world tries so hard to emulate, simulate and copy but has in fact lost.

Since coming to Papua New Guinea I have developed a passion for writing and photography. During the past two years I have written close to 700 short stories and taken over 5000 photographs, many of these published to a personal website or blog (www.schilt.info). Many of the stories are written in verse form and describe personal experiences and observations of day to day life in the Land of the Unexpected.

My role as IT Manager at Goroka General Hospital is for two years and I have been given the task of setting up and establishing an Information Management and Technology framework and team within the organisation. This will include amongst other projects:

1. The installation of a Local Area Network (LAN) within the Hospital campus. This will allow certain resources (Eg: printers) to be shared by network users as well as the centralized storage and backup of important files and data.

2. The setup and refurbishment of a Business Resource Center (BRC). The BRC will include computer training facilities which will enable the organisation to raise its level of computer literacy through a series of training programs as well as the provision of internet and email services. This project is well under way and the refurbishment itself is due for completion towards the end of May 2007.

3. The configuration, installation and deployment of donated PC’s by the ShareIT organisation. The container is currently in Adelaide and will be leaving for Goroka shortly.

4. Once the BRC has been commissioned and IT training programs completed by Hospital Staff we will commence the investigation into a Hospital Information System (HIS) and Intranet. The first software application to be given attention will be a Patient Record System. We will also be investigating other areas within the Hospital that are in need of computersiation such as: Stores, Human Resources and Finance.

5. The setup and commissioning of a Hospital website (www.gorokahospital.gov.pg). A website will enable the Hospital to easily share both clinical and corporate information with other Hospital’s and institutions around the country as well as overseas.

The implementation of Information Technology within Goroka General Hospital or any other organisation for that matter is a time consuming and costly exercise. It is both an investment in technology and people and its ultimate success is dependant upon the participation, dedication and commitment by all stakeholders (Board, Management and Staff). I look forward to the varied challenges that lay ahead and guiding the organisation towards a successful IT implementation.

Finally and on a lighter note I have put together a list of “Ten Tips for the traveler to PNG” which I would like to share with you:

1. Get around barefoot.

2. Carry a bilum and wear a cap.

3. Go to the Rugby.

4. Sit on the ground.

5. Chew “buai”.

6. Learn Tok Pisin.

7. Travel by PMV.

8. Walk plenty and be seen.

9. Mix and interact with the locals.

10. Shop for fresh food at the local markets.