A study of a co-operative association in the Malalaua sub-district: the Toaripi Association of Co-operative Societies (TACS)

Abstract

This thesis is about a co-operative association that was formed by several small village co-operative societies in the Malalaua area of the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea. It documents and describes the development of the Toaripi Association of Co-operative Societies (TACS), an indigenous co-operative organisation formed in 1949. Initially, the TACS was known as the Toaripi Association and was founded by a Toaripi man called Posu Semesevita whose objective was to purchase a coastal vessel that would transport trade goods from Port Moresby to their co-operative stores and ship their copra to Port Moresby. The association was later enlarged to include four other cultural groups in the Malalaua area of the Gulf Province. The thesis argues that the TACS acquired the blueprint model of co-operation (refering to the Rochdale and Western models of co-operation) rather than develop the indigenous network of co-operation indigenous to the society. I argue that the State at that time had implanted a model of co-operation that was inappropriate and alien for the society. The alternative approach advocated by the thesis is the greenhouse model which seeks to develop indigenous traditional forms of co-operation found within the society. This approach advocates the idea that the State provide the right incentives and stimuli for indigenously founded organisations. The State should not ignore economic organisations that are founded locally from its broader objectives and policies for planned development. Both the blueprint and greenhouse models of co-operation are ideas developed by Goran Hyden (1988). This thesis describes several factors that were responsible for the demise of the TACS and illustrates several factors the State in Papua New Guinea could consider when planning organisations along co-operative lines. The thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the topic. Chapter 2 outlines the scope of the thesis. It discusses the concepts of co-operation and co-operative. The aim is to establish the inappropriateness of the models of co-operation and co-operative in European countries for a Third World State like Papua New Guinea. I try to apply the model which Goran Hyden (1988) refers to as the common-purpose-organisation on the TACS and contest various definitions of co-operation and cooperative presented in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3, I trace the origin of the TACS beginning with the charismatic drive of Posu Semesevita and other village elders and how the Toaripi villages co-operated to purchase the coastal vessel, then christened the MV Toaripi. This part is important because it was through the efforts of the Toaripi villagers that more or less enabled the colonial Administration to establish a Patrol Post in the area and to send co-operatives officer to advice and supervise the co-operative societies that were developing. The Chapter also describes the formation of the TACS. Here I describe issues such as the management of the TACS and the reactions of the Toaripi people when their association was enlarged to include four other cultural groups. In Chapter 4. I look at an asset of the TACS, the MV Toaripi. I discuss the politics and the problems of this vessel leading to its sale to the Administration as a result of the vast expenses involved in operating it. The MV Toaripi was a symbol of achievement and pride for the Toaripi people thus, the events that led to its sale created conflicts, divisions and rivalries among the people whose co-operatives were members of the TACS. Although the sale of the vessel was economically necessary for the survival and continued functioning of the TACS, it atso meant the loss of pride and achievement once held by the Toaripis because they had worked hard to purchase it. Here I look at the arguments of rational economic and business principles against those of traditional sentiments and indigenous logic. In Chapter 5, I describe a host of problems encountered by the TACS. The Chapter looks at the problems from the association's beginning up to its closure in 1976. Finally, in the concluding Chapter, I discuss the events that occurred to as late as the early 1980's. I also attempt to answer the question why the TACS collapsed. I also draw on conclusions for the ideas and issues raised in the previous Chapters of the thesis.