Still in the dark

Letters

THE name “Golokave” (Goroka) in Gahuku dialect means ‘morning breaks’ or tulait pinis.
In 1946, Goroka became an administrative centre for the highlands region, and although it was rooted out of a village named “Gouloka”, the name “Golokave” was more fitting with the early arrival of missionaries and kiaps.
Golokave or tulait pinis implies that Eastern Highlands was first in everything, including institutions.
Eastern Highlands has the University of Goroka, PNG Institute of Medical Research, Coffee Industry Corporation, Coffee Research Institute, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Aiyura National High School, National Agriculture Research Institute, Highlands Fisheries, Yonki Hydro Power Station and Fresh Development Producers, among others.
All these institutions added value to our life and should have helped us produce good leaders.
Sadly, the name ‘tulait pinis’ is the opposite when it comes to electing leaders.
We have gone back past 1946 and we still live in the dark.
You have voted for politicians to represent you because of a slice of a bread, half a can of coke, a K10
shared among five people or a piece of a bubble gum.
I hope that we will learn from our past and not repeat the same mistakes in 2022.

Felix O’jay Lomutopa
Unggai Ombula