Sean Dorney, Kwanja and the media candidate

 

'shit, it's only seven kinas,'

 

Two of the legends of Konedobu, the ABC's Sean Dorney (left) and Post-Courier's Michael 'Wardsey' Ward in the old PC newsroom having the usual Friday arvo drinks. Notice the old typewriters. Mine was the big bazooka behind Dorney's skinny legs!
It was the culprit behind the K7 per shit fun run story!

PART 01

By Big Pat

SPORTY

Sean Dorney is an Aussie name synonymous with journalism in Papua New Guinea.

And Lofty got to know him in more ways than one and here are some of the lighter moments in our friendship.

I remember Sean Dorney as a good friend, a mentor, a critic and especially someone with an incredible character and courage who had the time to share with you, whether you were young or old or black or white. 

He also had a great sense of humor.

He is the kind of person who has a heart for anybody. Ask his Manus in-laws and they’ll tell you, Sean has never once let them down, even done the famous ‘hey, hey’ Manus swing to the Manus Garamut.

Ask any Pacific Island reporter who has had the good fortune to have crossed his part and he or she will tell you too –Dorney is a champion media freedom in the Pacific, a forte of knowledge of anything of Papua New Guinean, even to the extent that he once captained the PNG Kumuls rugby league team at one stage of his footy life.

Lofty first bumped into Dorney when I began my newspaper career starting as a copy boy at the Post-Courier in 1985. He would come around to the newsroom on Friday afternoons for a yarn and a beer. And he touched me as a very funny guy. He had this obnoxiously happy smile and a way with words.

One day, when Lofty had graduated from copy boy to writing sports, he took me to the top of the Lloyd Robson Oval grandstand, hooked the ABC phone line up, and told me that at halftime, ‘call this number in Sydney and tell the lady at the other end the halftime score, who scored the tries, kicked the goals, crowd size and what the weather is like’. After that Sean wandered off – I don’t even know where to? And left me wandering and still wondering to this day!

Post-Courier old tea room with late tea boy Masu Morim (centre), on the left is late Yehiura Hriehwazi drowning in a brownie and Wally Hiambohn on the right hanging onto one for dear life. this tea room personified the Yangoru Drop.

It was a rugby league Test match between the Australian Kangaroos and the PNG Kumuls at the good old Lloyd Robson Oval now OSNFS. At halftime, after a few stubbies, I was already feeling very drowsy and forgot to make that very important call to the gracious lady north of the South Pole. I would have done with a vegemite sandwich though.

At fulltime, I had to file the match report for ABC, which I tried my very best to do, albeit very tipsy, over the line. From the top of the roof, I yelled into the phone as if I was yelling at my girl on Manus Island too.

Late Mark Sapias, late Tom Alau, the original Ori Kenia, the irresistible Terry FM Longbut, those seasoned radio guys had big smiles on their faces. Lofty was flabbergasted!

Lofty ended up back at Lawes Road where I tried my best to remember what the score was, even scratching my head on which park it was played on, 'wee yaka', Lofty was courting trouble by forgetting my notebook, but my black man mate, the late Blaise Nangoi rescued me that day.

Anyways, Monday comes around and Sean pops by and demands: 'hey Lofty, you have my phone? Lofty - 'What phone?' Sean - 'The expensive one I left with you on the rooftop!'

'Bikpela hevi', problem.

So I don’t have his hello ring but I want my koble coins for sending his ABC story.

‘Come next Friday’ he smiles ‘and bring my phone’.

Those were the old landlines, heavy, ugly, most times you got caught in a crossline, especially when you was anxiously calling your 'lalokau' across the Bismarck Sea.

So Friday rolls by, Frank Kolma, Wally Hiambohn and Lofty duck up the Airvos Avenue to the ABC before our boss and Sean’s tambu Luke Clement Sela can send us somewhere else.

Port Moresby A grade basketball was very popular during weeknights.
Even the players played barefoot at the Hohola Courts.

The esky is out; we are all having a good time and then Lofty decides to have a stroll around Sean’s office. The door rolls back and lo and behold - on the back of the door is a collection of old newspaper cuttings.

This was the ABC’s door of horror and contained all manner of errors, bearers, corrosion, and journalism poison. And there in a little corner, I spot my blessed name! 

Dorney had done me the honors by underlining the offending word ‘shit’ in red!

Shiddo diddo, Lofty almost fainted!!!!!! 'Karanas lewa' . . how did this happen? But it did for the record, embarrassingly occur one fine Friday morning!

It was 1988 and Coca-Cola was the major sponsor for the annual SP Games fun run event. The 'T' shirts for the run were going for K7. 

With my rickety old typewriter working overtime, I had the greatest most embarrassing honor to spell 'shirt' as SHIT. 

How it passed the sports editor Numa Alu's eagle eye or even the proofreading stage, is another mind-boggling mystery.

At seven bucks, it probably could have made me the richest shit seller in no hurry, like my old friend Mister Shit. 

Of course the editor Luke was not too pleased and the MD Don Kennedy was about to hang me out to fry!

But shit is bullshit and shit does happen!

PAYING BRIDEPRICE IN BEREINA

 

The girls and boys from Buluma, West New Britain, who now call Oreke in Bereina, their home. Showing the sesele pasin west style in Mekeo

PASIN WEST in MEKEO

 

WHEN in Mekeo, do what the Mexicans do best – chew your buai, fish in the Bereina river, smoke it over the fire, and relax while you watch the golden sun drop into the Western Ocean.

For a couple of girls from the other side of town, things don’t come easy by the banks of the muddy river. The crocs watch, the mud crabs crouch and the tilapia hide as best as they can.

Firstly, these ‘uahos’ are only one half of Kairuku. Their blood might be at Oreke village near Bereina in Kairuku Hiri district of Central Province, but the truth is their hearts are fluttering far away.

These girls, Madlyne, Linda and Jacqueline, might look like sweet Bereina girls but the truth is their oil comes from the palm trees of Buluma, Pasin West country.

Their journey from the island of New Britain across the seas to Papua is a long one.

It started when uncle Naime Banua from Oreke village, a mechanic by trade, ended up with Works Department in Kimbe, West New Britain province.

Sisi (Cecelia) and her mummy Abia celebrating the occasion.

He was an adventurous young Kairuku chap. He loved fixing cars. The bigger the better. 

Works Department is a key government institution responsible for roads and bridges. Mechanics and engineers were vital personnel in Works.

There uncle Naime met the love of his love and wife Rita from Buluma. 

Their love blossomed into marriage which has produced the three girls and only boy Miria, and 13 grandchildren.

The Banua family, with their ‘pasin’ west style, were the standout at a recent bride price ceremony at Oreke village last Christmas.

The bride was Abia whose husband Simon was paying her bride price in cash and goods.

Some of the visitors and supporters.

The Banuas, dressed in their Heineken t-shirts, came to support the bride price. 

With typical ‘pasin’ west flourish, they produced the most flowery ‘sesele lareva’ styles with their pots and pans and gifts.

As is the case in many rural communities in PNG, bride price is a very important occasion.

It is the fulfillment of the customary obligation to your wife and in-laws. It upholds family pride and honor. 

It builds a family and clan and tribe and a man.

The mekeo ‘buai’ was flowing and the ‘pasin’ west style was glowing.

Abia and her hubby Simon have two children, Cecelia and Simon Junior.
 

The famous 'black man' is being watched over by his two Mekeo girls.

HELPING LITTLE CHILDREN WHO SUFFER FROM HYDROCEPHALUS

 

Mount Wilhelm, locally known as Enduwa Kombuglu.

Picture courtesy of EDWIN WAWU

CONQUERING MOUNT WILHELM FOR THE SICK CHILDREN of PNG

 

Dr Arnold Waine and his daughter Kelesi Waine after reaching the summit of Mt Wilhelm on Christmas Eve, 2023.

SEATED on the rocky crag that is the roof of PNG, Arnold Waine looked into the far distance. His gaze was limited by the chilly fog that hung in the air.

But that did not dampen his enthusiasm for the reason why he was sitting on the top of the 4509-meter-high Mount Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea’s highest peak. (14, 793 feet)

He was there for a simple reason. He was there for the little suffering children he saw every day in the Children’s Ward of the Port Moresby General Hospital thousands of miles away.

It is the loftiest loneliest spot in PNG where it snows.

A medical surgeon, Dr Waine was right at the top with his brave daughter Kelesi Waine, the pinnacle of a special climb-a-thon of Mount Wilhelm to raise funds to help sick children with special needs in PNG.

Dr Arnold Waine is the Head of Department for Surgery School of Medicine and Health Science at UPNG, and an honorary specialist surgeon at PMGH.

He decided to spend last Christmas break with his family in the freezing peaks of PNG’s highest mountain in the Kundiawa Gembogl district in Chimbu province.

Dr Waine at Lake Piunde below the mountain.

Dr Waine and his family were humbled by the idea. They wanted this to be their family’s support for his work and to show his children’s love for the sick children that he helps.

Most of the children he sees and assists are those children who are affected by hydrocephalus.

Dr Waine said this disease is a condition where fluid in the head and spine called Cerebral Spinal Fluid or CSF gets blocked and the head of a newborn baby grows bigger than its body.

"It needs a small tube to place into the head during surgery to drain into the abdomen and out as urine," he says.

Our government pharmacy does not buy this (tube)  as a regular item, because it's not in the catalog.

"A lot of children die from complications or develop to become permanent disabilities."

Our medical doctors in Papua New Guinea public health face enormous challenges to provide medical services to a growing population, with scarce resource, limited funding and inadequate facilities.

Daughter Shiana embraces the cold of the grasslands.

Dr Waine said he had spent eight hours walking from the base camp to the summit of Mt Wilhelm on Christmas eve with his daughter Kelesi Waine, a 15-year-old doing Year 10 at Port Moresby International School.

His other two children Shiana, 16-years-old and Kua Waine 9-years-old made it up to the base at Lake Piunde.

"I promised a sick little one here at Pom Gen to walk to raise some money to buy his VP shunt pressure tube," he said.

"I didn’t realize it was going to cover for many others with the same condition throughout PNG.

"As promised to my patient child,  my family and I did this for you and other special children in PNG during Christmas eve.

" And special thanks to those who sponsor this walk and reach the needy."

Mt Wilhelm was named after the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck's son Wilhelmsberg in 1888 by a German newspaper reporter.

A proud Kelesi who made it to the top.

MY LIFE STORY - JUSTIN KAPI

 

 

 
Farmers working in their rice paddies.

FROM A UNIVERSITY GRADUATE TO A RICE FARMER

 

If there is a journey of independence story that needs to be told, this is one such inspiring special journey.

All too often, we have university and college graduates complaining about being unemployed after graduation.

The reason is simple. There are not enough opportunities in the job market.

But where there is a will, there is a way. The subject of this story is a young man named Justin who grew up the hard way. Through grit and grind on the land, he made it to Unitech and graduated.

Justin graduated with a degree in accounting. It was a paper that also taught him the practicalities of life.

As the name suggests, in life you have to account for everything, your land, your family, your food, your love life, your association with the creator, even every little red penny you earn.

Justin Kapi knew that if he did not get a regular day job, he still had to account for his time on earth.

He was innovative and creative. When he heard about PNG’s biggest rice grower Trukai’s Smart Farmers program, he immediately enrolled.

This is Justin’s story. For all those Unitech, UPNG, UNRE and UoG graduates still looking for a job, we hope this truly inspiring story will motivate you out of you dream like state.

Justin checking on a banana bunch.

My name is Justin Kapia, aged thirty-three (33).

I am the first of three siblings born to Joan Kapia of Urgai village of the Bari tribe in the Kerowagi District of Chimbu Province.

My mother mostly raised me. Being the eldest, toiling the soil was part of my childhood life, growing up. That was where my passion for agriculture grew.

Despite being very little, I was the family man, I cleared bushes, dug drains, and plowed the soil for my mother to plant.

Through all the hardships life threw at us, it was by God’s grace that I was able to complete my secondary schooling at Kondiu Rosary Secondary, scoring all distinctions.

I continued to the Papua New University of Technology to study Accounting and graduated in 2018, with a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce and Accountancy.

After I graduated, I ventured into small business in the informal sector. However, my passion took the best of me, I had to go back to my village and do something with my land.

So, I ventured into farming. That was where I met my beautiful and supportive wife, Nancilla Simbai – a professional secondary school teacher who has given me three beautiful daughters.

She is an indoor person who had never planted kaukau (sweet potato)) before I met her ha ha! Now she can plant kaukau! It was at the beginning of 2023, around January when I first saw the Trukai Smart Farmers Training program on Facebook.

Without a second thought, I applied without further delay. I was accepted and enrolled at Unitech, Taraka Campus, not for a degree again but as a smart farmer.

After two weeks of intensive training, I returned home to my small family with the skills and knowledge acquired, with only two (2) kgs of Trukai rice seeds (T12).

From there I gathered my people of Nigl Gol – Kup Local Level government and under the guidance of my farm manager Philip William and myself, we planted three hectares of rice. We are hopefully looking forward to harvesting 21 tons at the end of January next year (2024).

A clearing ready for planting.

Furthermore, we have integrated ducks, rice and fish, which brings numerous economic benefits. This approach, known as the “Three Sisters of Sustainable Farming” has been practiced for centuries in many regions worldwide.

Our ducks provide the best pest control services by consuming insects, weeds, and snails in the rice paddies. This reduces the need for chemical pesticides, resulting in cost savings. Moreover, duck droppings act as a natural fertilizer, enhancing soil fertility without additional expenses.

Moreover, rice cultivation benefits from the presence of these ducks as they move through the rice fields, they help in weed suppression and promote aeration of the soil, which improves rice growth and reduces the need for manual labor for weed removal.

Finally, we have also introduced the integration of fish into this system which complements the rice and duck’s relationship. The fish feed on the insects and larvae in the water, reducing disease risks and improving water quality. In return, the rice plants provide cover and shade for the fish while their root systems stabilize the soil, preventing erosion.

My extended family of Nigl Gol is also very supportive of what I am doing, as this is the first of its kind in our area in Kup LLG. So, most of the manual labor comes from the youth.

We have finally received the attention of the entire community and they are really motivated to take this approach.

Justin leading the way.

The Trukai Smart Farmers Program headed by Ms Aina Davis (the Country’s Rice Development Manager) had again supplied us with six 25 kg of Trukai rice seeds (T12). The economic advantages are notable.

This method of farming reduces the reliance on chemical inputs and manual labor, farmers can learn from this and save money on pesticides and weeding costs. Additionally, the output of yields of rice and fish will increase, leading to higher agricultural productivity and potential income generation.

Overall, the integration of ducks, rice, and fish offers a sustainable and economically beneficial approach to farming.

·    In the current economic times we live in, Justin is just one of many universities educated young man who has turned to the land to build his life. He has not allowed setbacks in his life to destroy his passion for agriculture and from his story, we are sure he is building a promising future for his family and his community.

A CLIMB TO REMEMBER

 

Sydney Harbour Bridge ticked off the bucket list.

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE CHALLENGE

 
By GORETHY KENNETH

One hot sunny day in Sydney, I found myself face to face with one of the city's most iconic landmarks - the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

It was a special birthday gift from my sister, Rubie Kerepa, who knew how much I loved adventure and wanted to celebrate my special day in a unique way.

As we approached the bridge, my excitement quickly turned into nervousness. I had always considered myself fearless, but the thought of climbing such a massive structure made my heart race and my breathing shallow.

I began searching for excuses to back out, thinking of mentioning my recent major operation or even pretending to be pregnant.

However, as I was about to concoct my excuse, I remembered a saying my sister Judge Elizabeth Suelip had once shared with me - "When you give up, that means you will always give up in life."

With renewed determination, I brushed away my fears and decided to take on this challenge head-on.

We arrived at Bridge Climb Sydney, the company that offers climbs of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Since its inception in 1998, over 4 million people have participated in their tours, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.

The climb requires moderate physical exertion for a duration of up to 3.5 hours over a distance of 1.75 km. As someone who is generally fit, I knew I would be up for the challenge.

Before embarking on the climb, we were given a brief orientation about the history and significance of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The three musketeers are all smiles.

It is not only the largest steel arch bridge in the world, but it also spans across one of the most beautiful natural harbors on the planet.

With 1332 steps to conquer, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation as I envisioned the sweeping views that awaited me at the summit.

The climb itself was a thrilling experience. Gently ascending towards the top of the bridge, I couldn't help but marvel at the engineering masterpiece before me.

Completed in 1932, it was considered a symbol of progress and industrial maturity during the technical revolution of the 1930s. 

The double-hinged, riveted steel arch bridge with a reinforced concrete deck and pylons represented modern bridge design and engineering ingenuity.

As I climbed higher, the panoramic view of Sydney City and its surrounds unfolded before my eyes. It was a sight like no other. 

Standing at a staggering 134 meters above sea level, I felt a sense of awe and wonder as I took in the breathtaking beauty of the harbour beneath me.

The sparkling blue waters, the bustling city below, and the shimmering skyline created a picture-perfect backdrop.

Throughout the climb, I couldn't help but reflect on the significance of this experience. 

The Sydney Harbour Bridge has not only been a vital link between the city's central business district and the North Shore since its opening, but it has also become a symbol of Australia's progress and ambition. 

It was a reminder that we should never give up, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

As I finally reached the summit, a sense of accomplishment washed over me. 

The view from the top was unparalleled, making every step and every breath worth it. I couldn't help but feel grateful for my sister's thoughtful gift and for pushing me to overcome my fears.

Looking down at the city below, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for being a part of the rich history and vibrant culture of Sydney.

This climb had not only been an unforgettable experience, but it had also given me a new perspective on life - a reminder that the greatest rewards often come from pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones.

As I descended from the bridge, I couldn't help but think of the countless others who have conquered this iconic landmark.

Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, and Nicole Kidman have all stood at the summit, gazing out at the same breathtaking view. I felt privileged to have joined this elite group, adding my own story to the bridge's rich tapestry of experiences.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge climb may be an expensive endeavor, but it's an investment in an unforgettable memory, a testament to the indomitable human spirit, and the ultimate way to see Sydney from new heights.

 
 
 

 

WHEN VISITING NIPA . . .

 

Owner Felix Orep and his faithful dog in the garden of the resort.

WELCOME TO THE PURIL GUEST HOUSE

 
BY JEFFREY ELAPA

A primary school teacher in the Southern Highlands had invested in the tourism and hospitality sector to make a difference for his family and his community.

After almost 30 years of operation, Felix Orep, the owner of the Puril Guest House near Nipa station, Nipa-Kutubu district of the Southern Highlands is a happy man.

A former primary school teacher, Orep saw life as difficult when working for one source of income.

With many children growing up, the needs were huge and it was forever growing, so he decided to look at other alternate sources to improve the standard of living for his wife and children.

As always, there was always the inevitable community and cultural obligations and school fees for his children.

Orep decided to sacrifice and used his little serving to start up a PMV truck business and small canteen in his village in 1993 and continued to operate the business for the next 10 years.

Motivated by few hectares of undisturbed bush at the back of his store, and the high number of visitors flooding into Nipa and looking for a decent guest house to stay, Orep decided to diversify his PMV and trade store business and venture into the tourism and hospitality industry by converting his canteen into a 5-room guest house.

Not knowing the exact future, the Puril Guest House, situated along the Highlands highway near Puril United Church Headquarter outside Nipa station was opened to the public in 2003.

His business started to improve slowly with more guest visiting and staying at his small guest house but he his luck came when ExxonMobil decided to establish an alternate laydown camp in Nipa during the construction phase of the PNG LNG project between 2008-2010.

Employees of ExxonMobil and its contractors used his area on a long-term basis and he was making some good money in the two-year period.

A guest heading to his room.

This was the busiest moment of his business so he employed more people from the local community. The need for vegetables and other food crops also increased, making an upturn in the local economy.

While the PNG LNG project had a big impact on his business, the unfortunate decision of ExxonMobil to leave in 2010 had a great effect on his business.
All his dream were scattered, as his client base dropped and he was making less money.

Despite ExxonMobil’s decision to leave, he was hopeful that his decision to tap into the sustainable SME space was the best options as people would continue to travel up and down the highway and overnight there.

He did not give up, he continued to reinvest in the business using the revenues received in the first 7 years of operation. He built two more houses and increased the number of rooms to cater for the expected increase in number of guests.

He also included a conference room, a kitchen and few Haus Win (rest house) and beautified the area, making it lovely for his guests to stay and enjoy.
As the saying goes, when one door closes, another door opens, and true enough, ExxonMobil provided another business opportunity for him.

It arranged for him to take care of the Members of the PNG Defence Force soldiers engaged in Operation Vogos.

The Puril Guest House became the operation command center of the PNGDF to monitor ExxonMobil’s vehicles and equipment moving in and out of Kutubu and Hides.

This time his lovely wife Janet resigned as a teacher and joined her husband to manage the family business.

Under her watch, another five self-contained executive rooms were added to the existing 6 twin rooms and 10 single rooms, bring the number of rooms to 21, all installed with hot water system.

The rate for the executive room is K200 per night while the standard rooms with common shared shower and toilet facilities are K150 per night. It can take up to 40 guests at a time while the conference and training facilities can take up to 20 people at time. (prices as at November 2023).

The executive rooms offer comfort and safety and warmth during cool nights.

The guest house also provides printing and stationary services for the guest.

Seeing the need, Janet decided to add another four-unit facility. This facility is designed as a flat (unit), installed with all white goods to be used by working-class families that come to work in the district headquarters on a long-term basis.

As all businesses operate on a client basis, his business also slowed down with the completion of the PNGLNG project, and the client bases also started to decline but the Oreps have not given up.

Guests continue to come and they include the Members of the PNG Royal Constabulary, the PNG Defence Force, education and health officials from the provincial and national headquarters, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other small organizations.

Looking back, Orep and his family took the time to thank all the people and the organizations that have been part of his journey and progress as their contribution has made a lot of impact in the lives of his family and his community.
 
He said the facility has not only improved his life but it had improved the economy base of the local community.

It had also assisted him in meeting some of his social and community obligations while almost a big portion of his revenue was reinvested in the education of his children, who are all employed now.

With the growth of the family business, Felix and Janet are self-employed and enjoying a good life and are providing employment for others.

Nipa is now experiencing an unprecedented change under the current leadership and the people have realized their past mistakes and they are moving away from the cash handout mentality and lawlessness in the district.

The district will not be the same, it is changing and next time you visit Nipa, call in at Puril Guest House for a quiet and peaceful stay.

For reservations, contact the manager- Janet Orep on 73222948 / 70642355 and email oreojanet@gmail.com for reservations.

 

Spacious conference facilities for your convenience for all groups.

BEAUTIFUL BOGIA, MAGNIFICENT MADANG

 

Part of the newly upgraded and sealed road from Bogia town to Awar Plantation site with the Manam Island and its active volcano in the distance. Photo by Dr Kevin Pamba

BOGIA MOVING FORWARD

By Dr KEVIN PAMBA

As you drive into the small town of Bogia on Madang’s far north coast, a derelict building on the left of the road meets your eyes. The old building with the word “hotel” above its entrance immediately takes your mind back to a bygone era.

Owing to the years that passed since the last publican and his patrons stepped out, the word before “hotel” is hardly visible. A close inspection and you see the name “Bogia” appear.

On the side are the words “draught on tap”. That language takes you back to a pub or a budget hotel somewhere in country Queensland, New South Wales, or even the Port Moresby of the 1960s and 1970s.

By and large, the old hotel reminds the curious visitor about what the socio-economic composition of this small town and surrounding areas might have been all those years ago. 

There must have been something going on in this place that drove an adventurous hotelier to invest here in this rural outpost far north of the urban sprawl of the provincial capital, Madang town some four hours’ drive south.

The locals say Bogia Hotel was started by two expats and changed ownership along the way and was eventually acquired by the National Development Bank.

On Saturday December 23, 2023, the Member of Parliament for Bogia District, Robert Naguri hinted of what this small town was like in the 1970s to the 1990s when local icons like Bogia Hotel served niches.

Speaking in Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea Pidgin), Naguri said Bogia district hosted 10 coconut and cocoa plantations that drove the local economy and supported much needed social and economic benefits to the people.

He reminisced his childhood experiences of walking with his mother to Nubia where a nucleus township spawned out of the plantation there and provided many of the services of an urban centre.

He recalled enjoying ice cream in Nubia, saying it was a town of its own, outside of Bogia supported by the plantation.

The remains of the former Bogia Hotel, a reminder of the once-thriving Bogia district economy of the past. Photo by Dr Kevin Pamba

Naguri lamented the closure of all the plantations by the turn of the new millennium, in the early 2000s, due to various reasons. As the plantations and a large cattle ranch not far inland from the township folded, out went the socio-economic benefits they provided to Bogia town and the people of the surrounding village communities.

Bogia Hotel must have been a popular watering hole and stop-over for the myriad of folks from near and as far away as Australia and Germany who had come to work in the plantations and the cattle ranch and make the place tick.

With the demise of the local agriculture economy, Bogia turned to a quintessential rural district lacking in many aspects and dependent on what Waigani could provide annually to fund its services and developments.

This is a similar fate the besieges many of the 111 districts.

Naguri, with the support of like-minded people in his district government and administration and the local communities, wants to change this Waigani-dependent persona of Bogia.

He would like to see Bogia return it to is former days of a viable district economy contributing its share to the national coffers. He wants do this by starting off with the revival of the plantations.

The first plantation that is now up for redevelopment with the support of the Marape-Rosso Government is Awar just north of Bogia town along the coast.

The Awar landowners have organized themselves by getting the title of the plantation land to their name and followed this up with a submission for funding support from the National Government through the guidance and support of Naguri’s Office and his Bogia District Development Authority.

Through the commitment of the MP, the Bogia DDA and the Awar people, the National Government committed K5 million to revive Awar Plantation.

The commitment was announced by Prime Minister James Marape when he visited Bogia and Awar and launched the revival of the plantation a couple of years ago. This commitment complements the recently upgraded and sealing of Bogia town to Awar leg of the coastal road that could one become part of a national highway linking the provinces of the northern seaboard.

Naguri was in Bogia to unveil the trucks and machinery bought with the first K1million allocation out of the K5million commitment. The equipment included a tractor, a three-ton truck, a Toyota Landcruiser utility, one portable sawmill, four chainsaws, a power generator, one compressor, four motorbikes and one Toyota Hilux twin-cab.

Bogia MP, Mr Robert Naguri being escorted to the grandstand for the launch of the equipment by the chairman of the Awar ILG and Guwagen Plantation Services Mr Arthur Leo Abo (in cap and sunglasses). Photo by Dr Kevin Pamba

The equipment will be used to clean up the old Awar plantation and have it ready for seed nursery and planting. The equipment and the start-up of the plantation is being pursued through Guwagen Plantation Services, the local people’s business arm.

Naguri praised the people of Awar for taking the initiative in organizing themselves, registering their integrated land group (ILG) and incorporating a business arm, Guwagen Plantation Services to restart Awar Plantation.

He particularly commended the efforts of two Awar leaders Joseph Basse and Arthur Leo Abo for the dedicated effort to organize their people with the believe that one day they would restart and own the plantation.

As chairman of the Guwagen ILG and Guwagen Plantation Services, Abo thanked Naguri for having faith in them and their submission for the restoration of Awar Plantation.

Abo said the organization of the people, the ILG and making a submission to the National Government through the Bogia DDA and Administration was not an easy task.

The restoration of the old plantations is a key district development focus of his district team taking cue from the “economic independence” policy of the Pangu-led government of Prime Minister James Marape.

“Namba nain praim minista bilong yumi Honourable James Marape, taim em kisim gavman long 2019 tru long vot of no confidens, emi laik Pangu Pati givim ekonomik independens long Papua Niugini.”

“Em driman bilong James Marape, Praim Minista bilong yumi”.

“So mi sanap hia em long miplela complimentim plan na driman bilong Pangu Pati, wea yumi ronim gavman nau.”

Naguri said the next one million kinas is to be allocated to start the nursery of cocoa and coconut and pay for fuel for the machinery and hire of labor. The third batch of K1 million was set aside for operational expenses of the plantation and this would be released in February.

The final two million kinas will be released by the Government after the acquittal of the first K3 million is provided with the report on the resumption of the Awar Plantation.  He said K2 million will be used to continue the operation of the plantation and monitor its performance and generation of revenue.

Bogia District anticipates the Awar plantation to harvest the first cocoa wet beans in 2027.

Some of the equipment for Awar Plantation revival assembled in the centre of Bogia town before the launch by Mr Naguri on Saturday, December 23, 2023. Photo by Dr Kevin Pamba

He said the Awar Plantation can generate around K8 million per year from cocoa alone from the 500-plus hectares of its land once it is in production.

Bogia District has the potential to generate such revenue through agriculture, tourism, fisheries, and other niche economic activities and contribute to the national purse “instead of waiting for Waigani to provide for the district all the time”.

Naguri said he aims to ensure Bogia District is a notable contributor to the national economic purse and not just a recipient of what Waigani gives.

Besides the revival of agriculture in Bogia, tourism is also high on the District agenda. They intend to take a cue from the ongoing interest of Japan and the United States of America in the remains of World War II where the Japanese had an airfield in Nubia north far from Awar and war ships used the Hansa Bay.

According to Abo, the Americans are still looking for the plane code-named “Heaven can wait”. The tourism potential of Bogia based around the WWII sites, the breath-taking natural environment and the indigenous cultures of the people, is a story for another day.