Kimbe Market Is Setting a New Benchmark in Systems and Processes in PNG

Dianne Mandui Mirio shares her experiences as the new Market Boss…

It has been an incredible journey of two years for me and my small team, marking just over eighteen months since the Kimbe Market officially opened its doors.

When I signed my contract with the Kimbe Market Authority on June 1st, 2023, I was handed the keys to a newly constructed, but empty, building. My initial team consisted of an accountant, a waste management officer, and an administration and HR officer. We started with absolutely nothing—no staff manual, no HR policies, no operational systems. Everything had to be built from the ground up.

The market board had just been appointed, and my immediate task was to screen applicants for crucial roles like drivers and market rangers. This process saw commendable involvement from ESIP (DFAT), ensuring fairness and transparency. Meanwhile, the pressure was immense, with the Governor, the Open Member for Talasea, and the public all eagerly awaiting the market’s opening.

My primary focus was to establish a robust and modern ticketing system. I had observed UNWOMEN‘s efforts to bring in consultants from India for the Gordons Market system, and their subsequent delays in confirming a consultant for our project. I was determined to avoid the pitfalls of a manual process, drawing on my experience in auditing systems at NBPOL, which had taught me the critical importance of a well-designed, automated framework. While UNWOMEN worked to finalize their support, I couldn’t afford to wait. Public scrutiny was intense following our official opening on September 21st, 2023, and I knew a functional system was key to our success.

Frustrated by the delays, I decided to take a different approach. I recommended a talented local computer science graduate from the University of Technology, Eddie Kialo, to UNWOMEN. I asked him to develop our system with my direct input, outlining my vision for a user-friendly, accountable framework tailored to our specific needs. Eddie, a brilliant young man from Sepik, took my concepts and brought them to life.

_{In less than two months, we had a fully developed system ready for trial. UNWOMEN graciously funded the procurement of our computers and printers. After a week of intensive training and trials with my staff, we successfully launched the new electronic ticketing system to our vendors on December 18th, 2023.}

That system became the backbone of our entire market operation. Every one of the original 699 tables—a number I have since expanded to create space for 1,586 vendors at any one time—is now numbered. Vendors pay for their spot based on the table number and the specific category of goods they sell. We have established around 20 categories, including garden food, betelnut, tailoring, cooked food, seafood, floriculture, and a wholesale section, all seamlessly integrated into the ticketing software.

Building on this foundation, we developed a comprehensive operational structure. This included vendor registration and the introduction of ID cards, dedicated storage facilities and ablution blocks with their own fee structures, and a booking system for our permanent vendors to pay for tables in advance. We also established an SME Hub with 11 kiosks and 6 incubators, rented to local entrepreneurs, alongside clear roles and responsibilities for all staff and formal grievance procedures for both vendors and staff.

To foster a positive and motivating environment, I established an Events Committee and introduced a quarterly awards system for both vendors and staff, directly linked to performance data from our ticketing system. We are proud to be the only market in Papua New Guinea with a Blivet waste management system. All waste from the ablution facilities is processed, broken down into grey water, and safely managed, marking a significant step forward in market sanitation.

Today, I oversee a team of 107 staff, all paid directly by the market’s revenue, and our financial obligations to creditors are consistently met. We are deeply grateful for the grant assistance from the West New Britain Governor’s office, and I am proud to report that we have fully acquitted the first and second tranches of this funding. Our commitment to transparency is unwavering, and our financial books are currently undergoing a full audit by KPMG.

While UNWOMEN provided a draft operational manual intended as a template for markets across PNG, we have populated and customized it with the real-world systems we built from scratch. We have conducted training needs analyses, and vendor training is now an ongoing initiative. We have already celebrated last year’s staff and vendor award winners and have just completed the first-quarter vendor awards for this year.

As we look to the future, we are excited about the prospect of market expansion and further training opportunities, which are anticipated to be funded by DFAT. From an empty building and a team of four, we have built a vibrant, self-sustaining economic hub for the people of Kimbe. The journey has been challenging, but seeing 1,586 vendors empowered to trade, and a dedicated team of 107 staff working seamlessly, makes every bit of the effort worthwhile.