The PV Story

 

Founder of EDTC Personal Viability

Samuel Tam MBD, CSI, OL; was born in 1948, Rabaul, East New Britain. His father was a Singapore Chinese mechanic. On his mother’s side, his grandparents migrated from Canton, China to Rabaul in 1917 during the German Administration. His mother was also born in Rabaul, in 1921.

Samuel Tam was educated in Rabaul High School during his primary years. During the 1950’s, like most PNG born Chinese, members of the Tam family were naturalised Australians and the children sponsored by the Australian Government to receive their secondary school education in Australia.

After completing his matriculation at the Scots College, Warwick, Queensland, Tam began to acquire practical business experience in businesses such as Burns Philip (retail, wholesale, coastal shipping), Service Station & Mechanical Garage for Vehicles, Customs Agent & Transport, and General Merchant.

In 1968, Tam migrated from Rabaul to Port Moresby where he co-founded the Cathay Club, pre-dominantly to service the Chinese community. It was a foundation to do community work in Port Moresby and surrounding villages in Central Province. Tam also served on the National Executive Council of Red Cross Society for a number of years.

 

The First Missing Link discovered

In 1970, Tam started his own business with a start-up capital of A$300. At the same time Tam assisted two Papua New Guineans to set up and manage two trade stores in June Valley, Port Moresby. These two entrepreneurs were Mr Mairi Mairi of Rigo, and Mr Paulus Arek of Popendetta. Both these gentlemen borrowed A$6000 each from the PNG Development Bank which they fully repaid within 9 months.

This feat was unusual because at that time the failure rate for national Trade Store operators in PNG was around 96%.

 

The Stretpasin Stoa Scheme

Because of this, the PNG Development Bank took the initiative and requested Tam to develop a scheme to assist Papua New Guineans to successfully run retail stores. It was Tam who developed the Development Bank’s Stretpasin Stoa Scheme in 1974.

The experience gained from the nation-wide successful Stretpasin Stoa Scheme provided the first “missing link” to the concept of Personal Viability.

Also in 1972, Tam wrote a small booklet “HOW TO SET UP AN URBAN TRADE STORE” which was printed and presented to the Department of Business Development by the Chinese Businessman’s Association during an official dinner. Sir Julius Chan was one of the main guests during the presentation.

A PNG Agriculture Bank article of 1992 (to commemorate its SILVER JUBILEE celebrations) said:

Development of retail businesses owned and operated by Papua New Guineans has a lot to offer to a developing nation. The resources are managed and owned by Papua New Guineans and provide the goods & services that satisfy the needs of society. In addition these PNG owned and operated businesses are associated with employment creation, income generation and improvement in the standard of living which is crucial in developing nations.

The Stretpasin Stoa Scheme, which was established by the Agriculture Bank, has shown over the years that given the right and necessary support Papua New Guineans can successfully manage businesses.

When you consider the fact that 80% of small businesses fail within the first three years and the majority of these failures can be traced to poor management, then the 80% success rate of the Stretpasin Stoa Scheme is rather remarkable.

The success rate is a combination of the unique aspects of the Stretpasin Stoa Scheme which are provided by the Agriculture Bank’s Retail Management Services.

·         The selection Process to recruit store managers.

·         The twelve weeks residential training programme.

·         Store evaluation and Selection.

·         Supervision and Assessment of store managers for as long as it takes for them to develop the attitude and habits of successful businessmen and to pay off the loan.

The establishment of stores is by way of 100% loan finance by the Agriculture Bank and the managers do not bring any equity into the business. Many of the managers (ranging from clerks, salesmen, bankers, teachers, academics, engineers and self-employed) may have no previous experience with retail management.

Regular on the job training, weekly and monthly reporting, quarterly accounts and monitoring helps effective management of the store. Weaknesses of individual managers are identified so that corrective action is taken by giving advice, guidance, direction and assistance.

Committed and effective managers inevitably produce profitable stores.

To date the Scheme has established over 125 stores throughout Papua New Guinea. The Scheme has conducted over 20 training courses and trained over 150 students.

The Scheme has gained popularity in PNG and around the Pacific. Delegations from Pacific Island countries such as Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands come to learn about the Scheme. A similar Scheme has been established in Fiji along the lines of the Stretpasin Stoa Scheme.

The Agriculture Bank can be proud of the success of the Stretpasin Stoa Scheme.

 

In 1981, The Queen appointed Samuel Tam to be an Ordinary Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his contribution to the Stretpasin Stoa Scheme.

 

Business and Training Roles Expand

Tam left the Scheme in 1978 to continue his own business in wholesale warehousing and supermarkets based in Port Moresby which was developed into a multi-million Kina turnover enterprise.

In 1982, Tam was appointed to the Board of the Agriculture Bank where he served two terms for a total of six consecutive years.

 

In 1986, Tam met Nalden Matautu, President of Liklik Bisnis Manmeri Association (LIKBA). Matautu requested Tam to assist Likba members in business training. Tam agreed to assist and conducted many theoretical and practical courses in his warehouses at Six Mile and Four Mile covering a wide range of subjects including:

 

Management	Bookkeeping	Trade Stores
PMV	Fishing	Contractors
Purchasing	Feasibility Studies	Taxation
Motivation	Banking	Cash Flows
Supervision	Retail	Wholesale
Manufacturing	Insurance	Agriculture
Forestry (Timber)	Statutory requirements	Costing & Pricing

                             

 

The Second Missing Link discovered

During this period Tam established Inter-Pacific Finance Ltd to assist the small Papua New Guinean entrepreneurs. The venture was short lived as repayments on loans were not forth-coming. The experience of this costly lesson and his association with LIKBA was to become the second “missing link” of the training course “ARE YOU VIABLE?”

 

Bankrupt, and The Third Missing Link discovered

Tragedy struck in 1989. Within 3 short months the general manager of Inter-Pacific Finance Ltd passed away suddenly followed quickly by the death of Tam’s business partner and, lastly, Tam’s mother of cancer.

Unfortunately, Tam’s friend Nalden Matautu, President of Liklik Bisnismanmeri Association also passed away in 1992.

Years of problems followed during which Tam lost all his material possessions.

Tam was a bankrupt in1994.

This experience with problems and failures proved to be Tam’s most valuable lesson and it provided the third “missing link” to the concept of Personal Viability.

 

False Starts Breed Perseverance

Tam was determined to find answers to business failures through research and from his own experience. He resolved to find a use for his experience, good and bad, successes and failures.

In 1994, when Mr Shem Pake, Managing Director of Agriculture Bank requested Tam to develop another scheme, he agreed and commenced work. immediately. However this association was not to be as a new management team took over the reigns of the Agriculture Bank that would concentrate on the business of a financial institution and not the development of entrepreneurs.

This setback did not deter Tam. In fact it hardened his resolve to find a solution to this worldwide problem of the cause of business failures. Tam decided to continue on his own and developed a series of strategies to test his products. He conducted many courses with many types of people including university graduates down to grade 3 standard, from 17 years to 56 years old, men and women, urban and rural dwellers, public servants and private sector, Christians and non-Christians. In short, Tam covered the whole spectrum of people.

The challenge is in developing a training course that is practical and is suitable for everyone.

 

The Tipping Point - The Fourth Missing Link discovered

In 1995, Tam assisted members of the Boroko United Church at the request of Pastor Samson Lowa. This became a weekly affair and people began to request written articles on discussion topics to take home. This proved to be the turning point in Tam’s product development for he discovered a greater need among the common majority who just wish to provide for their family’s needs. In fact, there is a far greater need for human development than for entrepreneur development. Everyone needs to be viable, not just entrepreneurs. As a result, Tam set aside his business courses, for the time being. There at the Boroko United Church was the beginning of what is now known as the EDTC Personal Viability Training Course..

That was how the fourth “missing link” arrived.

 

The Fifth Missing Link discovered

During the two years of product development and field testing, another curious thing occurred. Participants began to ask Tam if he was aware that many of the success behaviours in his training course are found in the Bible.

Because Tam has not read the Bible, his students began to teach him about success recipes contained in the Bible.

Tam then realised that the Bible is probably the best book on business success in practical terms.

His students provided the fifth and final “missing link”. Thus it is no coincidence that Christians everywhere are among his strongest advocates for this training course.

 

 

THE Immediate PV Family

Samuel Tam’s family includes his wife Dawn and three boys, Alexis, Damien and Samuel Jnr.

 

 

THE Wider PV Family

The success of the PV programme is attributed to a small silent group of people. Without them, the PV Programme remains a concept.

These people have one common denominator – their love for their country, its people and environment. They are not prepared to sit and watch things go from bad to worse. They are prepared to do something about it. In fact they have given their lives for Papua New Guinea. It would be hard to find a more dedicated group of people anywhere in this world.

 

·   Evangeline Kaima, East Sepik Province – National Coordinator and Master Trainer who was instrumental in the areas of awareness (marketing), organising courses, pidgin translation of handbook, training of trainers and many others.

·   Emmanuel Raussi, West New Britain Province – Trainer, wrote the foreword in the handbook, and was responsible for SBDC’s short-lived involvement. Currently, Emmanuel in charge of developing the EDTC Business Development & Advisory Services.

·   Melepia Eliab, East New Britain - Trainer

·   Robin Apelis, East New Britain – Trainer

·   Steven Kiwi, Bougainville – Trainer

·   Robert Taula, New Ireland – Trainer and Chairman of Grassroots Housing Scheme.

·   Sister Chanel FMI, West New Britain – Trainer

·   Relida Pau, East New Britain – Trainer

·   Paul Wiau, Sandaun – Trainer

·   Tobias Arnold, East Sepik – Trainer

·   James Ipa, New Ireland – Trainer

·   Deborah Navogi, New Ireland - Trainer

·   Dawa Kale, Simbu – Trainer

·   Janet Bulda, Western Highland – Trainer

·   Alphonse Kamo, East New Britain – Trainer

·   Jesse Magum, Bougainville – Trainer

·   Joe Nelson, Bougainville – Trainer

·   Mary Soondrawu, East Sepik – Trainer

·   Remi Numbos, East Sepik – Trainer

·   Mathew Hapoto, Madang Province - Trainer

·   Angela Soso, Eastern Highland – Coordinator

·   Patrick Imaroto, Western Province - Coordinator

·   All the provincial Executives of Grasruts Pawa Mekim Kamap Assn & Grasruts Moni Gaden.

·   Alois Lavu & Staff of SBDC; Judith Day, Trevor Mayhew, John Orea, Onnie Teio, Maria Hayes, Pastor Samson Lowa.

·   Organisations include Catholic Church, United Church, SBDC, National Council of Women, Papua New Guinea Council of Churches, National Planning Office, a number of Provincial Welfare & Youth offices, a number of Provincial Commerce offices.

·   Bougainville Provincial Government, Bougainville People’s Congress, BRA, Chiefs, leaders and ordinary people of Bougainville.

·   East New Britain Provincial Government

·   Special mention for St Johns Seminary, Kairiru Island, East Sepik Province.

·   Also staff members of the following jails: Bomana-NCD; Boram-ESP; Lakiemata-WNBP; Kavieng; and Vanimo.

·   Last but definitely not least, Daniel Murray of Kairiru Island whose music and songs have ignited the imagination of the rural and urban people alike.

The list is endless and we apologise to those who are not mentioned here. Many grassroots people assisted in spreading the PV program. They are too numerous to mention. But they are the real unsung heroes of this program.

They are the concerned mothers and fathers, the youths, public servants, pastors and priests, nuns, teachers, businessmen & women. Truly the PV programme belongs to all grassroots people of PNG.

 

Grassroots people of PNG, those who have attended PV, proudly call it the Grassroots University (Grasruts Yunivesiti). The spread of PV has much to do with the name Grasruts Yunivesiti.

 

Some PV Milestones

 

1996	The Personal Viability Program was officially launched by the then Minister for Planning, Honourable Moi Avei MP on September 16, 1996 at the Boroko United Church. This event was witnessed by a small group of people that included Pastor Samson Lowa, Alois Lavu - Managing Director of SBDC, Lady Carol Kidu, Sir Paulias Matane, John Orea and family and friends. Soon after, courses were conducted in NCD and later in Wewak, East Sepik Province.
1997	PV courses were conducted in East Sepik, West New Britain, NCD, Morobe, and Bougainville.
1998	PV courses were conducted in East Sepik, Sandaun, East New Britain, Bougainville, New Ireland, Southern Highlands, Manus, Madang, Milne Bay, NCD.
1999	Inaugural EDTC Trainers Accreditation Course was conducted at St Johns Seminary, Kairiru Island, East Sepik Province. This three-months TOT course commenced in February and concluded in May. PV courses were introduced in Eastern Highlands, Enga.
2000	The 2nd EDTC Trainers Accreditation Course was successfully completed on Kairiru Island. PV courses were introduced into Western Province and Western Highlands.
2001	The 3rd EDTC Trainers Accreditation Course was again held at St Johns Seminary, Kairiru Island, East Sepik Province. The inaugural launching of the EDTC Commercial Courses took place on Kairiru Island from 7th May to 25th May 2001. 17 participants attended the highly successful launching of the EDTC Business Courses from various provinces around the country. These include Bougainville, NCD, Morobe, West New Britain, New Ireland, Western Province, Sandaun and East Sepik. Official Guest Speaker of the Inaugural Graduation was none other than Catholic Bishop Tony of East Sepik.
2002	Training of Business Trainers (TBT) launched by EDTC.
2005	Joint venture with Rural Development Bank
2008	Joint Venture with the Global University of Life Long Learning