A pat on the back for Goroka folks
I write this letter as a very proud senior citizen of Goroka and the Eastern Highlands to convey my sincere gratitude to the people of the province who converged into town to welcome Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd last Friday.
The welcome reception at the airport was well coordinated and was remarkable.
The colourful singsing groups were an added splendour of typical Goroka fashion.
The lining of Aussie flags from the airport right throughout the streets and on PMV buses, private vehicles, government vehicles just like the State of Origin rugby league mania hype was indicative of how the people value Aussie aid.
The traditional “welcome to Goroka” choir by the Faniufa Sacred Heart Primary School brought emotional tears to many.
Goroka MP Thompson Harokaqveh left his election petition case to meet Rudd.
Most private business houses closed for business and allowed their employees to join the welcome.
For one moment I thought I was in Canberra or standing on the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge during Australia Day because of the numerous Australian flags flying in Goroka.
Police vehicles had “Good Day Mate” written on their number plates.
The police chiefs should be highly commended for the security arrangements provided.
Of course, Kevin Rudd was not John Howard who has a differently mentality.
Rudd came with the needles to mend the strained relationship that people like Howard and Alexander Downer helped cause.
Within 100 days of becoming the CEO of Australia, Rudd publicly apologised to the Aboriginal people for inflicting the lost generation.
Rudd and Governor Malcolm Kela-Smith walked for some 400m in Goroka in the midday heat, shaking hands and embracing the people who lined the road.
No foreign prime minister has done what Rudd did and he became the talk of the town.
Rudd visited Goroka to find out what and how Australian aid money was being spent, not how the provincial administration was functioning
Still, in his speech, the administrator spoke about the administrative mess and what was being done.
Whoever wrote the speech for the administrator failed to address Rudd’s primary concerns.
Australians are well aware of the rampant corruption in high offices which is a domestic problem.
Other than that, everyone involved in organising the welcome deserves a pat on the back.

John Supa, Goroka
Letters