Airport to be renamed

The National Main Stories

THE people of Morobe have honoured the legacy of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare with the renaming of Nadzab Airport as Sir Michael Thomas Somare International Airport.
This was announced by Governor Ginson Saonu at the haus krai in front of Prime Minister James Marape, Deputy Prime Minister Sam Basil and Sir Michael’s children Sana and Dulciana. Saonu said the name change would “honour the legacy of Sir Michael and be the change that the province is moving towards”.
“The changing of the name is to drive the vision for Morobe to become the economical capital of PNG, something Sir Michael advocated for the country,” he said.
“The announcement underscored the special relationship between the province and Sir Michael.
“Morobe played an important role in his life.
“He attended school in the province and Pangu Pati was formed with close friends and early leaders of Morobe.”
“Sir Michael talked about unity and when you unite, there is peace, harmony and the country will progress smoothly together as one people, one nation, one country.
“In his vision to unite PNG with a lot of cultural differences, languages, traditions comprising of coastal, Highlands and Islands regardless, you can be all be called one PNG.
“He brought government to the country, without corruption, the wantok system and greed system.”

16 comments

  • Jackson’s Airport should be named after The Grand Chief, not Nadzab. Is Nadzab the country’s premier airport?

  • Absolutely and 100% agreed with the name to be named after our father of the PNG. Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare in honor of our father.
    As a Morobean am happy with the initiative initiated by Morobe Governor and leaders behind him.

  • It’s just an emotional statement by Morobe governor that will undermine the current leadership of prime minister James Marape now and into future. The airport must still maintain the name tag #Nadzab.

  • Good thought, lam against your opinion if they buried him in Lae then this will be significant . What about future leaders from lae, it will be more appropriate to name A Morobean born leader to the airport renamed after him. I suggests a highway from Lae connecting Madang and Wewake through to Vanimo and to the Highlands region to be name after Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare.

    • Try to think open minded and stop being selfish. Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare was not selfish when he brought independence to this nation. He was not thinking about himself; not about his Sepik people, but he was thinking about all the provinces including Morobe as well. Morobe province exists for one reason and that is Papa Somare. So please have some respect.

  • A fitting tribute to a nationalistic leader who was at the forefront of PNG’s move to self government and eventually to attain full political independence. Morobe was also an important front for the Pangu Party and the announcement is very much welcome.

  • Thank you Governor Saonu, I salute you and the Morobe people for such a pioneering labour of honor towards the Grand Chief, on this scale. Other provinces will follow with their own original ideas as we chart our destiny without Him; but we are all much stronger, for his legacy of Unity in diversity.

    My NCD/Central, and his own East Sepik already have our memorials during his pilgrimage so we are blessed by it.

  • I salute you governor for morobe honorable Ginson saonu for your matured and visionary decision to rename the famous Nadzab airport to MICHAEL SOMARE AIRPORT

    As a token of appreciation, acknowledgement and remembrance to PAPA SOMARE for all the best, good and wonderful things that he has done to Morobe and Papua new Guinea as a whole

    Gorvenor You have represented the people of Morobe and Papua new Guinea very well in this period of mourning by paying your greatest and well deserved respect to the founding father of this beautiful and great country Papua new Guinea

    At this juncture Morobe has shown that Sir MICHAEL THOMAS SOMARE will always and for ever be remembered in their lives to day and for ever and ever

    AND PAPA SOMARE’S LEGACIES AND MEMORIES WILL BE ALIVE IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE MOROBEANS AND PAPUA NEW GUINEA AS A WHOLE

    MY TRIBUTE TO PAPA SOMARE

    THANK YOU PAPA FOR HAVING THE COURAGE, VISION AND THE BRIGHTEST IDEAS IN THE DARKEST MOMENTS TO TAKE BACK PNG FROM THE WICKED HANDS OF THE SO CALLED COLONIAL MASTERS

    BY DOING SO, PAPA I SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR ROBUSTNESS AND DETERMINATION THAT GAVE BIRTH TO A NATION

    A NATION THAT CALLED, CALLS AND WILL CALL YOU PAPA SOMARE YU PAPA TRUE TRUE BLONG PAPUA NEW GUINEA

    MAY YOUR SOUL REST COMFORTABLY IN ETERNAL PEACE IN THE PRESENCE OF YOUR GOD ALMIGHTY TILL WE MEET AGAIN SOMEDAY

  • The Grand Chief Thomas Michael Somare deserves the naming right of a newly constructed international airport in the country’s second city as a role model and an iconic figure in all respects of leadership and governance in the multiracial society. He is a true great leader of this young & beautiful country who deserves to be recognised by our up and coming young generation of PNG.

  • no offence but it would have been better when he was alive, he should have seen it renamed. now that he gone. he wont even know.. sad…

  • Hi Guys, Where is our vocal Giant Garry Juffa at these very country PNG going in for morning of our Founding Father of the nation.

  • wonderful idea but it would be great if the port was renamed when Sir Michael Thomas Somare was alive.

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