Beni deserved to be knighted

THE death of Papua New Guinean boxer Martin Beni is sad news.
It would not have hurt to award him a knighthood for his immense contribution to boxing and services rendered in our efforts to gain independence in 1975.
Beni was the catalyst used in the self-governing era to bring a diverse people together under the banner “united, hebou, mi pait long bungim wantaim PNG”.
The poster with the Commonwealth welterweight champion was splattered across an emerging nation.
He brought the nation together through his sport and Somare rode on the champion’s wave length to drive his message home for independence.
This is one person who deserved something from the Queen but was overlooked and died a sad man just like the late Susan Huhume Karike.
Sometimes deserving people take what would have been rightfully theirs to the grave with them.
We can only regret being too late to honour our champion.
I shed a tear for the man from Waima, Kairuku in Central who represented us well in the 1970s.

Timon Wena
Mt Wilhelm