Late Pelika a unique person, says son

National

JOHN Pelika has described his late dad, Menyamya MP Thomas Pelika, as a unique and straight forward person.
During the funeral service at the Marimari Lutheran Church in Port Moresby on Friday, he said his father was a “silent achiever”.
He is survived by wife Delmah Atu Pelika, son John, daughters Gloria, Alberta and Ruth, and six grandchildren.
The service led by Pastor Gundu Kagl was attended by Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae, Prime Minister James Marape, Speaker Job Pomat, National Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil, Morobe Governor Ginson Soanu, other Morobe MPs and public servants.
“Thomas Netato Pelika was a silent achiever.
“Dad was born on May 14, 1955 at Imapakalo, Kwaikama village, Menyamy to parents Kikalan and Maria. He was the eldest of three brothers and three sisters. Dad was raised by his parents at Kwaikama village.
“His father was one of the first locals from the Menyamya to be appointed by Australian patrol officers to be a policemen,” John said.
The late MP attended schools in Mumeng and Kabwum in Morobe. He became a police officer in 1974.
He was commissioned as a policeman in 1975 and attended the School of Pacific Administration in Sydney. He served in Mt Hagen, Chimbu, Lae, Kiunga before attending in 1989 a three-month programme in Perth.
He reached the rank of Chief Superintendent.
In 1992, he was elected MP. He regained the seat in 1997 but lost in 2002. He won it again in 2017.
“Dad is a unique person. We look up to him as a father, a leader, a chief in the village.”