In the grand tapestry of Papua New Guinea's history, few figures stand as tall as Sir Bob Sinclair. A builder, entrepreneur, and visionary, his journey is not just one of personal success but also of an unwavering commitment to a nation that he proudly calls home. For over six decades, Sir Bob has shaped the landscape of Papua New Guinea, leaving an indelible mark on its infrastructure, industry, and people.
 |
| Sir Bob Sinclair Click to watch Sir Bob Sinclair tell his story in this exclusive interview: |
A Leap of Faith
Sir Bob’s journey to Papua New Guinea began in 1964, in what he describes as an impulsive yet life-changing decision. A young carpenter from Sydney, he had just finished his apprenticeship and was working on renovations for Church of England homes when he found himself in an unfortunate accident involving his car—a 1934 Chevrolet DeSoto. After crashing into a Caltex service station in Sydney, he was left with a hefty debt of £550 at a time when he was earning just £9 and six shillings per week.
Faced with the daunting task of repaying this debt, he stumbled across a newspaper advertisement seeking a carpenter for Papua New Guinea. The pay was £15 and six shillings per week, significantly more than what he was making. Seeing an opportunity, he applied, attended the interview alongside 40 other candidates, and was offered the job.
Arrival in Papua New Guinea
In April 1964, Sir Bob, along with two other recruits—Graeme Dunnage and Kevin Collins—flew from Sydney to Port Moresby, with a stop in Townsville. Dressed in suits and ties, they were greeted by the overwhelming heat of Papua New Guinea at 6:00 AM, forcing them to quickly remove their jackets and ties.
Their employer, Dowsett Engineering, immediately assigned them to different projects. Sir Bob was sent to work on Tarrama Barracks, part of a large contract to build military barracks across the country. After a few months in Port Moresby, his skills earned him a transfer to Manam Island in Madang Province, where he was tasked with constructing a volcanic observation station.
Life on Manam Island
Sir Bob spent two years on Manam Island, living alongside missionaries and local villagers. Conditions were tough, with manual construction methods required due to the island’s remote nature. They had to dig trenches into volcanic ash, chiseling through lava flow without the help of modern machinery.
“We had no backhoes, no cement mixers—everything was done by hand,” he recalls. “When I see my workers today asking for machines, I tell them, ‘Back in 1964, we had to do it with a pick and shovel!’”
During his time there, young Papua New Guinean workers found life difficult, particularly because of the strict mission rules, which prohibited relationships with local women. Eventually, they became restless, but Sir Bob managed to maintain discipline among his crew.
His time on Manam was cut short when he was recruited to join a crocodile-hunting expedition along the Ramu River. He justified his departure to his employer by requesting permission to build a boat for escape in case of a volcanic eruption. The company agreed, and with the necessary materials provided, he built a canoe to travel to the Ramu River.
Crocodile Hunting on the Ramu River
Sir Bob’s next adventure took him deep into the Ramu and Sepik Rivers, where he lived among villagers, hunting crocodiles at night using only a torch, spear, and rifle. His method was simple: he would shine a light on the crocodile’s eyes, determine its size based on the distance between them, and then either shoot or spear the creature.
“The biggest croc I ever caught was 18 feet,” he remembers. “At night, we would limit our hunt to six crocodiles because that was all we could fit into our canoe.”
As a white man in these remote villages, he quickly learned how to adapt to local customs and languages, paying his workers in salt and rolling tobacco instead of money, as there were no trade stores at the time.
After a year of crocodile hunting, he returned to civilisation in Madang, where he secured a job with a local builder before moving on to Goroka to build housing for Talair Aviation pilots.
Major Construction Projects Begin
Sir Bob’s big break came when he was hired by Morobe Constructions to work on the Goroka General Hospital, one of the largest projects undertaken in Papua New Guinea at the time. Over three years, he rose through the ranks to become site foreman, overseeing 80 expatriate workers and 450 Papua New Guineans.
Following this, he was transferred to Kundiawa, where he built a post office. It was during this period that he met Prince Charles (now King Charles III), who was visiting the area.
“I shook hands with Prince Charles and explained what I was working on. Now, looking back, it’s amazing to think that I met a man who would later become King,” he reflects.
By 1969, Sir Bob moved to Lae, where he met his wife, Alice Green. After being refused married accommodation by his employer, he decided to start his own business.
“That was it for me,” he says. “I told my boss, ‘Now you’ve got competition.’”
Founding Lae Builders & Contractors
Sir Bob established Lae Builders & Contractors, which rapidly grew into one of Papua New Guinea’s largest construction firms. His breakthrough came when he won the contract to lay concrete for the Markham Bridge, the longest bridge in Papua New Guinea.
“They had quoted A$96,000 for the job. I put in a bid for A$14,500, just for labour. I finished the bridge in 14 weeks, and that’s when I knew I was on the right track,” he recalls.
The company expanded, securing contracts for the University of Technology in Lae, medical facilities, commercial buildings, and Manus Island’s Refugee Processing Centre, built under extreme time constraints.
Challenges and Triumphs
Despite his success, Sir Bob faced setbacks, including being wrongly blamed for the Umi Bridge collapse in 1994. However, an investigation revealed that structural faults had already existed.
Another challenge came when the government of Papua New Guinea was unable to send mail overseas. As Chairman of Post PNG, he resolved the crisis, negotiating with Singapore Airlines to clear the backlog of undelivered mail.
A Legacy in Rugby League
In addition to construction, Sir Bob left his mark on rugby league. He founded the Lae Bombers, later renamed the Snax Tigers, ensuring that Lae remained competitive in national rugby competitions.
“Rugby league has always been a big part of Lae’s identity,” he sayss.
A Lasting Legacy
Today, Sir Bob’s Lae International Hotel remains a symbol of his commitment to Lae. Looking ahead, he remains optimistic about Papua New Guinea’s economic future, advocating for fairer resource management.
“The page has turned now,” he says. “We must take full advantage of what we’ve learned in the past 50 years and build a stronger, more independent Papua New Guinea.”
With over 60 years of experience, Sir Bob’s legacy lives on. His story is one of resilience, adventure, and an unbreakable bond with Papua New Guinea.
“My legacy stays here,” he declares. “I’ve told my sons and grandsons—nothing gets sold. They carry on what I started. This country gave me everything, and I want to give everything back.”
No comments:
Post a Comment