Flower power to Andrew Napo

GUEST OF THE WEEK

SOME people are so much a part of an organisation that they appear invisible.
Their presence is never seen or acknowledged, and their work is not really appreciated at first glance.
Only after the second take, or perhaps even the third, would the work really be thought of.
In most cases, no thought is given to the creator of the work.
Come praise or impassivity, the worker cares not one bit.
He is nonchalant – Andrew Napo.
He doesn’t know his age, but said happily that he was a great grandfather.
All he knows is that he has been cleaning the Lae Central police station at Top Town for more than 20 years.
When rubbish bins and the floors and everything messy have been cleaned, he turns to his flower gardens.
The flower gardens and lawns are not noticeable from the main street of Coronation Drive.
Only after entering the building, and walking through the maze-like corridors of the station, and peeking through broken louvre blades and torn fly wires, can one see manicured lawns and well-tendered flower gardens.
They are of no exotic variety, nor are they arranged with beauty in mind. They are just simple perennials that are cleaned of all weeds and trimmed with a pair of scissors, to keep them tidy.
Mr Napo loves his flowers so much, he talks to them, he says with a laugh.
He said the flowers have a tranquilising effect on him. He believes others too are affected.
“I settled in Lae and worked as a delivery crew accompanying an Australian to deliver goods in Kainantu, Goroka, Simbu and Mt Hagen,” he said.
“I decided to serve the State just as a cleaner after my wife passed away, leaving behind my two daughters, three sons and myself.”
He lives at the Bumbu police barracks and gets to work at 7am everyday, without fail.
“I wish more people could turn to growing or appreciating flowers.
“They can find peace within their hearts and minds.”