P.O BOX 2076
PORT MORESBY
NCD.
Subject: GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
Date: -15 September, 2000 and 23rd September, 2000.
PRESENT: -15 September, 2000
Sarimu Kanu, Telavika Faite, Sione Paasia
Apeo Teata, Dixon Terupo, Karikoi Teika
-23rd September, 2000
Oscar Uruaka, Tom Saramasi, Reuben Hapilito,
Sione Paasia, Sehuri Tave, Kingsley Sele
- In our pursuit to resurrect the association, we had a series of two meetings to deal with three questions:
- WHY DO WE NEED AN ASSOCIATION?
Nearly everyone had something to say here. Below is a sum of what we all agreed;
A. "No one is an island", as we have heard. As people of a common ancestor, culture and place we can do better than pursue our own interest ourselves, which often end in frustrations. We can however, pull our resources and time to pursue issues that affect us together. By promoting unity, we remain close and always at hand to help each other.
B. Our people on Takuu don’t have access to resources and services that we do. To bridge this gap, we can liase on their behalf as a group. We need to pull our resources together to contribute to that part of our society, have an influence on issues that affect them. What can one man do with limited resources?
C. An association can take the lead and facilitate projects that we need at home. Even those who are married outside the island and believe their future lies in their wives village have no heart, after all you have brothers and sisters who remain on Takuu.
- An association can go some way and unifying us through social activities. Our people in the past have often depended on a ‘Marae’ to cater for meetings and social activities. In someway, the association provides a medium that fascinates similar activities.
- There is an overwhelming support for a new association, but a lot of reservation on how we can make it work this time. I was encouraged anyhow to register and set the wheels in motion for the resurrection of "Association Na Takuu". The association will also be made to start a separate account to those of the past associations.
- WHY HAVE PAST ASSOCIATIONS FAILED?
I thought, if we were to resurrect the associations, we may as well do a post-mortem of past associations. These were various reason put forward;
- Past associations failed to evolve with the times; our management, our goals, our commitment, even our relationships all failed to move forward. There has been a lack of proper management and commitment.
- Associations lost their purpose. The objectives that meant to drive the association were never heeded as past administrators made too many decisions on a convenience basis.
- To be precise, poor past management have allowed the misuse of association funds which has led to association objectives never materialising; improper loan schemes, and deceit in the part of those involved.
- HOW CAN WE AVOID THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST?
- The association needs good administrators who are committed to the objectives of the association. In addition we need committed members who can keep the administrators on their toes at all times;
- Register the association with IPA and to allow easy prosecution of those who misuse and abuse the association funds;
- More transparency and accountability in management. All transactions recorded, books must be used at all times.
- There are those who are in favour of disassociating from past associations but at the same time there were people who are in favour of correcting the past by bringing those who owe the association money to account for it.
- There was great support to be more professional in our approach to any new association. Registering the association is a start.