Journalist’s final interview with Grand Chief

By HELEN TARAWA
IT was a dream of every journalist in PNG to get a close up one-on-one interview with Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.
For those of us who were privileged and had a chance, we now know how important that moment was, especially now that he is no more.
I was fortunate because Sir Michael and Lady Veronica were in Port Moresby at the time when we were mourning another great leader, former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta.
I was assigned to interview Sir Michael and after several attempts to get his second secretary Rodney Kamus, I managed to get an appointment.
Sir Michael had released a statement as his tribute to Sir Mekere but I was not satisfied and wanted a more personal side.
Kamus called me to confirm the appointment and off I went with the photographer Joel Hamari and driver Joel Willie to his Boroko Hill residence.
As soon as we arrived Kamus informed him so he came out onto the verandah of his home where it was more comfortable.
I asked him about the “gang of four”- Sir Rabbie Namaliu, Sir Charles Lepani, the late Sir Antony Siaguru and the late Sir Mekere Morauta.
They were at the University of PNG and Sir Michael, being a smart leader, was already thinking ahead of the young leaders and they were among suitable candidates.
He told the story of how he made Sir Mekere the prime minister in 1999. Sir Michael was planning for current Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta to become the prime minister but he apparently was locked up at Mirigini House camp led by the late Sir William Skate.
The Opposition was camped at Chris Haiveta’s residence at Touaguba Hill. They waited the whole night but there was no Haiveta.
Sir Michael assured the Opposition camp that if Haveta did not turn up, Sir Mekere would be made prime minister.
“When we went to Parliament, everyone who was at Mirigini with Sir William came down and joined the Opposition and that was how Sir Mekere was voted,” he said.
He talked about the history of the currency of PNG and he spoke of how New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan named his son Toea.

Final visit to Parliament

By HELEN TARAWA
GRAND Chief Sir Michael Somare will enter Parliament House, which he initiated and was built as Haus Tambaran, for the last time today and his casket will lie in state there.
Clerk to Parliament Kala Aufa told The National that it would be a special Parliament session which will be attended by current and former MPs, 40 judges and about 16 heads of foreign diplomatic missions.
He said the programme would start with the guard of honour from the 1st Royal Pacific Island Regiment and a combined Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and Correctional Services Band at the entrance of Parliament.
All delegates will arrive by 8:30am.
The guard of honour preceded by the combined force’s band will march into their positions by 9:15am.
This will be followed by the arrival of the Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, at 9:40am and escorted by the Chief of State protocol and ceremonies into the Grand Hall of the National Parliament.
Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae will arrive at 9:45am and be received by the guard for the general salute and will be escorted by the chief of state protocol and ceremonies into the grand hall.
The hearse will arrive at 9:50am and will be received by the guard for the general salute and the bearers’ party to carry the casket of the grand chief into the grand hall of national parliament.
Bells will be rung, and members will assemble in the Chamber. At 10am the Speaker will take the chair and pursuant to Standing Order 34, invite Cardinal Sir John Ribat, Archbishop of Port Moresby to pray.
The Speaker will then seek the concurrence of the Parliament to admit Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, Sir Bob Dadae and pall-bearers into the chamber.
The deputy sergeant-at-arms will usher Sir Bob to a seat on the left of the Speaker’s chair.

Wenge advised to remove Moti

FORMER Morobe governor Luther Wenge says that he had advised the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare to remove the late Julian Moti from the country.
“I told the Sir Michael who was then prime minister that the Solomon Islands’ attorney-general Moti’s arrest by the Australian Federal Police at the international transit lounge at Jackson International Airport was wrong,” he said.
“I told him, send him away and we can go to the National Parliament and explain.
“That’s how Moti escaped on a PNG Defence Force aircraft from Port Moresby to the Solomon Islands.”