Procurement and supply chain management training provides answers for Torba

When you’re in Sola up in the Torres Banks and your boss asks you did the tyre company in Vila confirm the tyres types and sizes ordered, what dates they will be put on a ship and when are they expected to arrive, it’s not always easy to have all the answers – not even today with such good mobile phone coverage.

Tracking spare parts or fuel or even pieces of road making equipment is not a simple matter here in Vanuatu. Did the inter-island ship leave Vila on time? Were the fuel drums accidentally dropped off at another port? Did bad weather mean the trader turned back and sought safe anchorage on another island?

Jimmy Dean, Storeman from the Public Works Department’s (PWD) Torba Division knows how difficult tracking spare parts can be. Along with other Public Works Department Storemen and the PWD Head Office team responsible for contracts, finance and procurement, he has been learning to find answers to these difficult logistical questions about making sure vital supplies and parts get to the provinces on time.

Jimmy from Vanua Lava went to primary school at Arap Primary then onto Norsup Secondary School and Torquil Rural Training Centre where he studied Mechanics.

But it’s one thing to know what part is needed and quite another issue to get the part from Japan to Australia and onto Vanuatu by ship or plane.

Arthur Edgell from the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been delivering Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management training for the Public Works Department funded by the Australian Government supported Roads For Development (R4D) Program, following on from Excel spreadsheet training from Edwards Computer Foundation.

“Learning how to put in orders to allow for orders to arrive from overseas, delays internally due to shipping or bad weather – all of the “V” Factor issues — is very important when you’re dealing with logistics.

“Following or ‘tracking’ where the parts or drums of fuel are is also critical, especially if you have roads or bridges washed away and people are unable to get to school or work or to hospital.

“Add in making sure contracts are legal according to the new Central Tender Board regulations and ensuring funds are ready to pay on time all makes this work very complex,” explains Martin Justin, Senior Procurement Officer for PWD.

As we all know from our own personal experience, training is one thing but getting real life experience so you can put training into practice is the critical next step. Finding a modern workshop with a Spare Parts Department using the very latest inventory control software programs becomes problematic if you’re working in Sola or Saratamata or Lakatoro.

Wesley Simon, PWD Fleet Manager explains, “It is very difficult for PWD to find appropriate practical training for Inventory Stock and Spare Parts control so this is an excellent opportunity for “hands-on” work experience to follow on from this theoretical training. So, the Public Works Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ASCO Motors to place Storemen within the ASCO Motors Spare Parts Divisions in Luganville and in Port Vila.”

Next time a PWD Division Manager asks when the drums of diesel will arrive in Sola, Jimmy Dean or his fellow storemen will be able to log onto a computer, pull up a Spread Sheet and give an informed answer!