Cutting through bureaucratic red tape and negotiating with governments in third world countries is all in a day’s work for Port Macquarie resident Ray White.
In fact the 65-year-old retiree has just returned from a remote island of Tanna, where he has been negotiating with the Vanuatu government on several service projects on the southern island.
Ray, a Vietnam Veteran and father of three, has returned home after a two-week survey trip, happy in the knowledge that a new Women’s Skills Centre has commenced construction through teams of Rotary volunteers, local Ni Van community groups and Ni Van RTC (Rural Training College) students.
The building is situated in the grounds of Lenakel Hospital.
Rotary’s work in Tanna began back in 2004 when the island was all but flattened by a cyclone. It was then that Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) sent a team across to help rebuild the badly damaged Lenakel Hospital on the island.
When one such team from Ray’s Rotary district – D9650 – came back, members felt that there was more to be done than to just fix the hospital.
In fact they said the whole island needed help, especially the school buildings. The outlying medical centres also needed urgent attention.
So what is known as the D9650 RAWCS Tafea Committee was formed and, since then, more than 350 volunteers from Rotary have travelled to Tanna to build schools, install water tanks, implement educational and practical trade programs, sewing classes for the women, and cover health issues at the hospital through visiting medical volunteers.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, Ray said.
The new Women’s Skill Centre will accommodate all the activities and classes the women now enjoy, with additional classes such as hygiene, nutrition and computers.
The Rotarians also send Baby Kits for mothers of newborn babies with basic essentials like booties, clothing and rugs.
They also donate Educational Kits for school children with contents including pencils, pens, rulers, erasers and exercise books.
Only last week 16 pallets of such precious cargo, including medical material, left Wauchope for Sydney to be packed into a container for Tanna.
But to organise all of this it takes intense negotiations with various government officials and high jumping the constant bureaucratic woes that come part and parcel with third world countries in an unstable political climate, Ray said.
“It is regrettable that we receive no support from our own Federal Government or AusAid for our work in Vanuatu,” he said.
“Sometimes I wonder if we have any government representatives in Vanuatu.”
Ray said although he has played his role in “making things happen” nothing would have been possible without the D9650 RAWCS Tafea Vanuatu team, which includes Harry Durey, Peter Grob, Rob White and Fred O’Toole, and Rotary’s dedicated team of foot soldiers — people who have volunteered their time to work in Tanna.
But this has not been the only project that has been on Ray’s agenda.
He has also travelled into the mountain ranges of Nepal with his wife Marlene where he utilised his skills in the building industry to help in the construction of a hospital. Marlene volunteered her time as a dental assistant working with a dental team in remote villages.
Ray also led a team of Rotoractors to Yule Island in the Bay of Guinea in Papua New Guinea, to help build classrooms for a catholic girls’ school, which was run by an order of German nuns.
In fact there are not many places Ray hasn’t been to.
“Travel is something I enjoy and I have been very fortunate to have had that opportunity to do so,” he said.
Ray said Europe ticked all the boxes for the best place to visit to absorb history, whilst he “goes against the grain” and rates America as one of the best places for a driving holiday.
Canada and Norway, he said, are the most picturesque.
But there’s no place like home, Ray said.
He said Port Macquarie was where his heart is, so too the location of a project so close to Ray’s heart – Rotary Lodge.
“Rotary Lodge is one of the most rewarding community projects I have had the pleasure to be involved with,” he said.
“I worked with a lot of marvellous dedicated people who had the vision and courage to see this great project through to completion.
“It is a terrific community asset.”
So what’s next for the man of adventure?
“I’m keeping my feet on the ground for now,” Ray said.
“But you never know what will come up next.”
If you are interested in joining a Rotary team heading to Tanna, give Ray a call on 6584 2534. You don’t have to be a Rotarian and women are very welcome.
