GG’s office clarifies award for businessman

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday June 18th, 2013

 THE Office of the Governor-General confirmed yesterday that the Queen’s Birthday award for businessman Sir Ninian Mogan Lourdenadin was properly considered and processed. 

Official secretary Tipo Vuatha said in a statement that Lourdenadin’s nomination was properly considered by the established processes in PNG and submitted to Buckingham Palace for determination. 

“The nomination of Sir Ninian Mogan Lourdenadin for inclusion in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours list was properly considered by the established process in PNG and submitted to Buckingham Palace for determination,” he said.

“In approving the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (KCMG) award to Sir Ninian, the palace was well aware of his very significant contribution to the agriculture and industrial sectors and that he is one of the nation’s largest employers with majority of workers employed from Papua New Guineans. 

“He has made a special contribution to the agriculture sector and remains the leading investor, exporter and employer in that sector.” 

The Post-Courier in a report yesterday which said there could be an error in honouring Ninian a second time because he had been awarded knighthood under the Order of the British Empire. 

Vuatha clarified that the claim (a person cannot be awarded the second knighthood) in the Post-Courier report was “factually wrong” and said there were examples of such in other leading countries like the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the Commonwealth including PNG. 

“Ninian was given the KBE award by the PNG Government and now the KCMG award. The attempt to denigrate the award to Sir Ninian using totally false information is most regrettable,” he 

said.