Basil a kind,humble leader

Letters

AROUND 2011, I went to see my late brother Sam Basil when he was the National Planning Minister.
I was the president of our Higaturu LLG (HLLG) from 2008 to 2013 and I had gone to present to him a report I had compiled on the misuse and abuse of our LLG funds.
One of officers told me he was having a briefing and advised me to wait.
As soon as Basil walked out, the kind officer told him who I was and that I wanted to see him.
As tall as he was, he looked down at me and asked which LLG in Northern was I president.
I replied, HLLG.
Immediately, he declared in Tok Pidgin, “Mi mangi Orokaiva tu, yu save or nogat?” (I am also from Orokaiva, do you know?).
I told him I did and therefore I was bringing Orokaiva people’s problem to him.
He stooped, hugged me and took the report from me.
He looked me in the eyes and promised me he would do anything in his powers to send officers down to investigate my complaints.
Sure enough, after three weeks, Finance Department officers flew into the province.
However, at about that same time, the government changed and Basil was displaced as National Planning Minister.
The Finance Department officers who were no doubt under instructions from the Minister left abruptly without informing us.
My complaints ended there.
I was privileged to meet Basil again when he was the Pangu Pati leader at the Gateway Hotel along with his late brother and member for Goilala, William Samb.
I had breakfast with them and wished Samb all the best because he was going to contest the Goilala open by-election under Pangu Pati.
Late Samb won that by-election.
Basil talked kindly to me and gave me some money for my bus fare after late Samb and his supporters left.
In 2015, Pangu Pati endorsed Georgeking Baure as the Ijivitari candidate for the court ordered by-election.
I was the provincial secretary for the party and we went to the election but lost.
Recently, I accompanied his choice candidate for the Northern provincial seat to the Ela Beach Restaurant where he warmly welcomed me again.
On the next day, we met at the United Labour Party office to sign up the candidate to run under his party.
When we were all seated, he came and asked us if we wanted coffee.
I said yes and he asked whether black or white and how many spoons of sugar.
The candidate wanted water so she was given a bottle of water while he served me coffee himself.
He had instructed me to come up with a programme for his visit to Northern to campaign for his United Labour Party endorsed candidates and I was only waiting for confirmation of the party leader’s visit when we all got the shocking news.
In all my encounters with Basil, he was a true Papua New Guinean – a true Morobean and an Orokaivan.
He was an excellent example of a down to earth, humble, kind and generous leader and politician.
I was in mourning from the time I got the news and write now to send my condolences to my late brother’s immediate families and those in Buang, Bulolo and those from Togaho and Sakita villages in Oro including, Papa Danny and brother John Bovoru, Papa Davidson Jovereka and others who are going through this time of loss, pain and sorrow.
May your soul rest in eternal peace, my humble brother.

Charles Jasari
Popondetta