The society’s secretary Paul Hatera believes “that when this micro concept is promoted, everyone at the village level will have money in their pockets and he is therefore encouraging Bougainvilleans to work together in families and communities to create their own small to medium businesses “

Torbuil Cooperative Society is a small to medium sized enterprise which was established last November to bring to life the fishing industry in Bougainville.

See previous Bougainville Fishing industry article BN

Story by : JENNIFER NKUI

Pictured are carved models of fish and a boat that will work with the members of TORBUIL Society

According to the society’s secretary Paul Hatera, it  is currently involved only in administrative services.

He told Bougainville News in an interview last week that they are also waiting for an expert from the National Fisheries Authority to come and assemble their Fish Aggregating Device or FAD before they can go out and put the FAD in the sea and start to attract fish.

Then the fish sector for the cooperative society can start its operations.

“The project is a pilot project and it is the first of its kind in the region but without government and the cooperative  society’s expertise, the society is struggling to get this fish project in place,” he explained.

“With the little knowledge that we have put together, I hope that in the near future, the society will be making money and achieving its goals and vision statements,” he said.

Mr. Hatera revealed that the member for Hagogohe constituency Peter Sohia has pumped in K20, 000 for the project and the national member for North Bougainville Louta Atoi also gave some money and they are still waiting for the member’s second input into the project.

“The main aim of this project is to ensure that the people in the village can earn an income and be able to have money in their pockets,” he said.

“Right now we are talking independence and referendum but the people in the village are very poor,” he said.

“Because there is no recognition from the ABG government on SME’s, the progress is really very slow,” he stressed.

Mr. Hatera revealed also that a lot of Bougainvilleans had shown interest to work in partnership with Torbuil Cooperative Society and take part in the economic recovery of the region.

The society’s secretary believes that when this micro concept is promoted, everyone at the village level will have money in their pockets and he is therefore encouraging Bougainvilleans to work together in families and communities to create their own SME’s.

Background May 2014

TORBUIL CO-OPERATIVE TO SUPPORT MEMBERS

By Aloysius Laukai

More than two thousand people of HAGOGOHE constituency are proud members of the  TORBUIL Co-operative Society that was launched at Pepes village last Saturday.

The launching was attended by the Member for North Bougainville, LAUTA ATOI, Regional member, JOE LERA and members of the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

Chairman of the Board of Directors and founder, PIO BISIA said that he had to start the Co-operative society to address poverty creeping into the area.

He said that the Co-operative will teach the members to learn how to save their hard earned cash so that they can grow it for later use.

MR BISIA said that over the years he has seen his people just spending money and go begging to members for funds to meet their family needs.

He said the Co-operative society will link with the Cocoa Project initiated by the North Bougainville member, LAUTA ATOI and the Fishing project initiated by the Regional member JOE LERA.

MR. BISIA said that the co-operative society was the way forward for Bougainville and will unite families to work together for bigger goals.

– See more at: http://www.pngloop.com/2015/01/16/co-op-waits-fisheries-expert-kick-start/#sthash.odRzGu86.dpuf