Farewell, Andrew Alphonse

I HAVE just learned with great sadness of the untimely death of Andrew Alphonse, an award-winning journalist from Pangia, Southern Highlands.
Alphonse travelled to the remote parts of the Highlands, especially Hela, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands and Enga, to get storieswhere there are no computers and telephone services.
He spent most of most of life in Kupari village, Hela.
Despite the rugged terrains, Alphonse loved his profession and travelled to places like Mt Bosavi, Lake Kopiago, Moran Kutubu, Kandep and Minj.
This young and energetic newsman from Pangia wrote stories about social issues, tribal fights and deteriorating government services so that those of us living in urban areas knew what was happening in Hela and the Highlands region.
He was an influential award-winning journalist who promoted individual and public life from that part of the world.
We mourn Andrew Alphonse by recalling his hard work over so many years as a teacher at Kuluanda Primary School and as a journalist.

Oscar Angu
Lihir Island