Tapini LLG alone in Goilala district is linked by road whiles the rest of the district linked by airstrips or mule tracks constructed by the Catholic Priests using local labor during the colonial times.
Goilala District has some of the rugged terrains in Papua New Guinea but beautiful and breath taking views with rivers flowing through steep gorges. Goilala has some of the untouched virgin environment with unique flora and fauna.
Due to rugged landscape, inhabitants are scattered on the mountain tops, valleys and even along the mountain slopes.
To reach nearby villages, mule tracks are used to go around steep mountains or to shorten journeys, walk the steep declaims crossing fast flowing rivers, then climbing up to reach nearby villages on the other side.
Inhabitants of these rugged mountains are kind, friendly and well-mannered. They open up to strangers and welcome them into their homes, ensuring they are provided with the best hospitality where you feel at home.
A fine example is a mothers returning from the gardens with fresh produces, meet a stranger on their way home, they greet and share whatever their bilums contain. It is typical of mothers and girls around this part of Central Province.
As in any rural setting of PNG, they are hard workers who live on what the land produce from the sweat of their hands.
You would not believe when a Goilala, small in stature can perform task where handful of people would perform. This trait is something unique that brings out difference amongst others.
Despite the good, there are always bad sides of things but bad sometimes change to become good.
As the saying goes “iron sharpens iron”, your reputation either good or bad can be changed by the environment you put yourself in.
This led to the story of a fine young man from Aivara (Kerau) in Tapini LLG, name Amuna Korai. Mr. Amuna, when in his early 20’s caught himself into situation that made him ended up in Bomana Correctional Institution in 1989.
He got isolated from his parents, siblings, clansmen and the scenic and friendly environment he was once part of and brought up in.
With walls of iron surrounding him, he found himself amongst lawbreakers, such as petty drug peddlers to rapist and murders.
Unlike life in a free world where he would have all the time on his side, his life was subject and regulated by time. He was forced when to sleep, awake, go on a work parade, have meals and when to be get locked up. Time turned to days, days to weeks, weeks to months and months to years.
While doing his time behind bars, correctional officers saw he was honest and hardworking hence gave him the opportunity to gain technical skills to equip him for life after prison out in the free world. He gain skills in panel beating, tire repair, oxy and ARC welding without any formal education.
Mr. Amuna was also taught how to operate tractors to plough and grass cutting and had his hands on small engines.
After serving time behind bars, he was released in year 1999. By the time he was freed, Amuna was already in his 30’s and a thought of settling and having family was on his mind. He also thought of putting into practice skills learnt while in prison but due to competitive environment and no level of formal qualification on his side, his dream of finding a job in the city was shattered.
Amuna knew life in the city would be a struggle and eventually he may find himself behind bars again. To get away from the pressures of urban life, Amuna hoped onto a vehicle bound for Tapini. He didn’t have much on him, except the technical skills with few belongings and a reference letter from CIS in a backpack.
When jumping off at Tapini, Amuna started walking to Kerau as it is half a day walk from Tapini Station. He was warmly welcome home by families and settled back into the society. During the years served behind bars, much hadn’t changed in terms of government services delivery and developments. His siblings and relatives still live subsistence way of life as before.
The passion for trading his skills was still alive in him but he needs money to kick starts his dreams.
In the village, he found that the skills he developed while serving time behind bars would be of no value hence decided to move into Tapini Station. Before moving and settling in Tapini, he already knew what to do in order to achieve is dreams.
Amuna started harvesting pandanus ( Karuka ) to sell. When he had made a 10KG dried pandanus nuts, he walked back to Tapini, hoped on a vehicle bound for Port Moresby. In Pom, he sold the pandanus and made more than K1300.00.
He knew that staying long in the city would see little cash he earn, used up and he might not fulfill his dreams. The cash was enough to buy a compressor for tyre repair and his vehicle fare back to Tapini.
Electricity is still an issue, especially in the rural government out post such as Tapini thus Amuna needs a portable gen set to fully operate tyre repair service. The thought of raising some more cash to purchase a gen set was already on his mind.
During one evening while passing by a public servants’ residence, his eyes come in contact with a discarded gen-set under the house. He thought aloud how he could approach the owner to know if the gen set is a trash or not.
By chance he met the public servant at the market and started a conversation with him. During their conversation, he queried to know about the discarded gen-set.
The public servant assured him it’s damaged and no more working hence if he wanted to take it home for parts, he may have it as he doesn’t have any use of it.
With skills and knowledgeable in repairing small machinery while serving time behind bars, he figured the problem with the gen-set. He started working on it and resurrected the gen-set and the tested it.
To his relief, the gen-set powered the compressor and was working fine.
With compressor and gen-set in his possession, coupled with the technical skills, Mr. Amuna provides one very vital service to motor vehicles going up and returning from Tapini.
Most vehicle operators doing passenger runs to Tapini would know Mr. Amuna, owner of Okoko Tyre Service. A gentle and shy personality but a diligent worker who gives his best shot when his service is required.
When interviewed and asked about how he sees his trade in the long run, he hesitantly mentioned that the service he provide is one vital component to transportation in the district.
He stated, regardless of road transport into Goilala been cheap, especially Tapini compared to air transport, there is no help forthcoming from Goilala administration or even the political office.
He elaborated further saying, I hear lot of assistance is given to farming cooperatives which our local MP is doing great and I appreciate his gesture towards agriculture in the district.
If I could also asked local MP may consider skill people like him as well where we may also continue providing such service to motorist in the district so there is balance in flow of goods and service?
Story by Amenai Kepe, Goilala District Planner, (2020)
Goilala's District Dev Blog 
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