Hi there,
I worked for BCL from 1979 - 1981 (three years) as Operations Controller for the Computer Division. Essentially my role was to make sure that the mines two mainframe computers stayed up and running 24 hrs a day - 7 days a week. I had 12 locals reporting directly to me. As onsite personnel I lived in Panguna with my wife and two small boys - the eldest at that time being of school age. I still consider this experience to be one of the most valuable I have had - and like many others who were there loved the place and the challenges that it offered. Over the years I have met people who were on Bougainville (some who were there when we were - but we never actually met) and the conversations that we have had are as though we were old friends.
I am now semi retired although I have never been busier with three part time jobs to keep the wolves from the door. My wife (Jan) and I live in suburban Melbourne but have plans on retiring to Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula within the next two years.
