Kanawi leaves public service after 45 years

By AGNES FIFI UKI
NATIONAL AIDS Council Secretariat director Wep Kanawi leaves the public service with a great legacy, deputy director Moale Kariko says.
Kariko made the comment at a farewell dinner for Kanawi at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby last Friday.
His words were echoed by many guests, co-workers and staff who attended the event.
Most of the people there described Kanawi as “a man with a servant’s heart, noble and vibrant public servant”.
Acting director Philip Tapo said Kanawi started out as a tea boy in the late 1960s and had resigned after running 15 government agencies in the 45 years of his career.
“He served the public service without favour and fear, touching the lives of more than 100,000 Papua New Guineans.
“He is one of the great PNG leaders who contributed to the development of this nation,” he said.
Persons Living with HIV/AIDS representative Helen Samilo said Kanawi had been involved with them in every opportunity he had.
Kanawi said he had worked for the government since before independence and that he had not looked back since becoming a department head.
“We must hold onto what is in us and look after the good of PNG,” he said.
He said there had been dramatic changes in the organisation over the past three years.

* Testing facilities for HIV/AIDS must be put into the rural areas so that prevention went with treatment.
Kanawi said he would now consider entering politics.