Robert Agarobe candidate for NCD regional

My name is Robert Agarobe. I am 45 years old and of mixed Central and Highlands parentage. My mother hails from Kerowagi in the rugged highlands province of Chimbu and my father is a local Koiari man from the Sirinumu Dam area. I was born at Sopas Hospital, in the Wapenamanda Electorate of Enga Province.

My father was the Headmaster of Sopas High School, which was where I spent the early years of my life. From those early years, I can recall the long and enduring friendships my father fostered with the local people and their leaders in the likes of Sir Tei Abel amongst others. I eventually moved back to Port Moresby with my family where my father continued to teach till his retirement in his home province.

Being of mixed heritage I have had the privileged opportunity of learning and experiencing two distinct cultures in my lifetime. It is an experience which has afforded me a broad insight into how PNG and especially Port Moresby operates. This special insight has served me well over the years, especially as a CEO of a highly technical and sophisticated aviation company that is both multi-provincial and multinational.

Although I am not a regular member of any of our good Christian churches in the city, I am still a practicing Christian at home. I have been a God-fearing man throughout my life and I have always maintained extremely high moral standards while demanding no less from my family, my extended relatives and my employees.

The Christian values of honesty, truth and hardwork have always applied in my professional life and I subscribe unreservedly to the dogma that “nothing good happens to anyone in life without loads of hard-work, honest sweat and strict ethical principles”. Much the same, I respect and appreciate when these same values are reflected by others.

Professional Background

I am never comfortable saying that I am a Grade 10 drop-out, because I believe Education is absolutely important. But dropping out of Kwikila High School in the early 80’s taught me something else in life and that is to never give up no matter what the obstacles in life.

From that early setback in my then young life, I have struggled and pushed on to achieve every other thing I’ve ever set-out to achieve in life.

I have been an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer for 26 years, 17 of which have been as a Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (LAME). I started out as an Apprentice with Aircair Ltd in 1984 after obtaining my Pre-Employment Technical Training (PETT) Certificate in Aircraft Engineering at the Port Moresby Technical College. After my 4 year apprenticeship, I moved on to work with many other aviation companies.

In terms of training and obtaining my license, I met all the expenses from my own savings, even to the extent of selling my own motor vehicle to pay for my first helicopter maintenance course in Sydney, Australia.

I left the security of permanent employment in 1998 and boldly ventured-out to contract my professional services as an individual. This endeavor saw me work for and with organizations such as Islands Nationair, Heli Niugini, Helitech, PNGDF Air Transport Wing, RPNGC Police Air Wing, Helicopter Resources Aust. and Berjaya Air in Malaysia.

This extensive experience both internationally and locally equipped me with the necessary skills when it came to starting my own business. I was driven by two main factors:

A keen desire to create and operate a truly 100% national aviation company; and
An equally strong desire to make known the availability of experienced national engineers.
In May 2006, I purchased my first helicopter through a bank loan. Seven (7)months later, we purchased our 2nd and 3rd helicopter bringing our fleet to 3 helicopters in less than 12months.

My Vision as a National in this Industry has been to become the premier Aviation Company in Papua New Guinea operated and managed by Papua New Guineans who are committed to providing world class quality service in all aspects of our operations.

I can proudly say that today my company Helifix has proved that beyond doubt and our Company Motto “Doing our bit in Nation Building” clearly defines this.

It is my dream to pass on my knowledge and skills to the next generation’s aviation leaders and to ultimately set up an Aviation School which will train Pilots, Engineers, Ground Crew and Aviation Managers.