That is just one of the demands Eunice Kot signed up for when she joined the PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) Savings and Loans Society as Team Leader in March, this year.

With a background in banking, Ms Kot brings to the organisation fresh ideas to counter and eradicate these challenges. 

She plans to improve efficiency in services, especially cutting down the turnaround time for processing loans and disbursing funds.

She also hopes to introduce ‘pull factors’ that will encourage former members to re-join.

Without elaborating, one of the ‘pull factors’ she said would take into account the PNG Ports Home Ownership Scheme.

The Society, although small, receives an average of 40 applications daily from its 503 members who are employed and working at one of the 15 ports owned and operated by PNG Ports.

The Society currently lends on a ratio of 1:2 and allows its members to get beyond the amount available and still save.

Working with Ms Kot are Loans Administration Officer, Josephine Sepe, and Loans Information Officer, Roselyn Henao.

Ms Sepe is a long serving staff member who has been with PNG Ports since November 1995, while Ms Henao joined in August 2012.  Ms Henao previously worked with PNG Microfinance Limited (PML) as a Business Loans Officer.

Ms Kot joins PNG Ports after also working with PML as the Supervisor-Internal Audits.  She was with PML for the last six years where she held many jobs as a Loans Officer, Team Leader-Loans, Risk Management Officer, Internal Auditor and subsequently Supervisor-Internal Audits.

A Board of Directors, headed by the Interim Chairperson, Beverly Nelson, and three directors, overseas the overall administration of the Society.