Compensation is not a foreign concept to us in the U.S. If someone
wrongs you and it hurts financially you can demand restitution, take
them to court, or otherwise (illegally) exact revenge.
The same thing happens here in PNG. There is an upside to it that we
don't see in the U.S. that being, once the compensation is completed,
the relationship is restored and healthy. In the U.S. you tend to still
harbor a grudge, but remarkably here, I don't see that (at least not
against me).
The other side is if you choose NOT to pay, there will be something bad
that happens (your banana trees get cut, or something like that).
And the final side is, nationals often see white people as 'rich' until
you explain that you have supporters, and are supported by people from
your "place". They will understand that you are supported financially
by people back home, if you explain that you are. Still, because of
this, if something you do in any way harms them, they will be tempted to
see it as a chance for monetary gain. (quick cash).
For example, a friend went to the river, took some stones, and used
them. Once he built them in concrete and into his fireplace walls, men
came asking for money for the rocks. Until he put them in his walls,
they were relatively useless stones. But once they were proven
valueable in his house as building materials, well, the men claimed
ownership and wanted money.
This was an obvious frivolous attempt to bilk the rich white man but
some unscrupulous characters.
But there are legitimate situations too.
We recently hired a very nice woman who is niece to a friend of ours,
and on her first day of work, our dog bit her. We took her to the
clinic and she needed a few stitches but was relatively well.
She claimed she would not require compensation, but I knew, that once
her husband got wind of things, it might change.
Being a hard working woman, her husband had a right to think that
perhaps later on, this wound may hinder his wife's work, and reputation
as a gardner. Which would hinder how much money she could bring into
the family.
Very respectfully he set an appointment with me and a mediator.
We met today. They explained how they were worried about her future as
a gardener.
I explained I was horribly sorry about the bite.
They never spoke of money. Just of the worry that their family may in
the future have less money.
I offered to give them money and asked them how much they felt was fair
to calm their worried minds.
They said 'it wouldn't be good for us to propose a number first, we are
not angry, we are worried is all, you give us a number and we will
adjust it for you.'
So I said, 'well, I have asked around, and the wise number for such a
bite seems to be 20 kina'
(At this point it felt odd to be putting a financial price tag on the
injury, but that is what we were doing, haggling.)
They said 'we are much more worried about this than that, we were
thinking 100 kina'.
I replied, 'I understand that you are worried, and my family is truly
saddened by this whole thing, in order to calm your worries, I killed
our dog last night. He is buried in my back yard. He will not be
harming your wife any longer. I also want to say that my children are
very sad about this, and my wife is very sad about losing our dog. But
we want our relationship to be restored with you, because we like Rudi
(the gardener) and want her to keep working for us. So we will keep her
on, and she will not lose her pay, and we have paid her clinic fees, and
we have killed our dog, so I think that 45 kina is a fair price, but if
you feel that is not fair, please come back on Monday and I will have
100 kina for you."
In doing this, I think I showed cultural wisdom. If I did it was
because God answered my prayer for it... I didn't have much until I woke
up and had some ideas.
The men debated, talked, and the husband decided this all was good news
and was fair.
So then, to present the cash compensation I went inside and called my
family out. I said 'before I pay compensation, I want you to know that
we are all truly sori and saddened by this, and hope you will accept our
apology with this compensation, and that now our relationship is
restored and this heavy is over.'
I paid the money, I shook his hand, and my family witnessed it.
I felt that doing it with some ceremony like that, added credence,
closure, and witnesses to the fact that the issue was resolved (and
won't come back in a year or two when they need school fees again).
The men seemed happy and parted.
THIS entire thing, was almost totally stress free. The men came to me
respectfully without anger. We haggled without emotion. I spoke words
of apology, paid them, and I felt the entire process was a GOOD example
of how the compensation system should work.
Yes I had to put down our family pet the day before. But he had bitten
2 people in 2 months, and it was causing me all kinds of problems. When
a dog does that, you have to put them down.
In the U.S. this would have taken months of mediation, and fees. I
settled the whole thing for roughly $27.
But what is better, is that the men will have no problem sitting down
with me to share a meal now, and his wonderful wife can continue to work
for us.
We hear all kinds of stories about compensation going wrong, but I feel
this one, went very well.
It is a conversation I wasn't ready to have when we first moved her. It
required cultural sensitivity, precise use of Tok Pisin, negotiation
savvy, and diplomatic skills. When it was all over I thought 'wow, 6
years ago this moment would have terrified me, but now, it really wasn't
that difficult at all'.
