Polye: We will miss him

By Gynnie Kero
Opposition Leader Don Polye urged other MPs yesterday to do more to remember Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare as he steps out of the political limelight.
Polye said paying ‘farewell tributes’ should not be the only send off for Sir Michael.
He said Sir Michael had done a lot for the country and current leaders should justify his achievements.
In his farewell tribute to Sir Michael in parliament yesterday, Polye said:
“How will we appreciate him?
“Are words of gratitude sufficient or enough? I say no, those are not enough.
“There is something more that we must do, living by the principles that he has lived and conducted himself. Let’s embrace those principles.
“I am speechless.  This House will miss him. PNG will miss him, too.
“Further, our eight to 10 million people of PNG will miss you (Sir Michael) in politics.
“We all will miss his quality leadership and godly stewardship.
“We will also miss you, Lady Veronica Somare.
“I will miss you personally.  You are a source of my pride and honour in a humble way.
“I, as a young politician, served you in various ministerial portfolios from deputy prime minister twice, Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and Works, Transport, and Civil Aviation, young minister.
“It will be a wonderful experience for me in many years to come.
“If it was not for Somare, we would have been declared as a failed state. When we say Somare is a founding father of the nation, we should justify it. He is a strong Christian with great qualities.
“His cohesiveness unified Papua New Guinea into one nation which our colonisers were even afraid of doing.
“Somare’s first-born son Sana Somare, I salute him.  I have been with him in the last 15 years and not forgetting Arthur Somare, Bertha Somare. Dulcie Somare and Junior Michael Somare.
“Let me also salute his officers who are also growing old with him.
“They must not be overlooked.
“They will have corporate memory of Somare.  They have so much to offer the country. “Somare possesses servant leadership.
He doesn’t impose on his ministers and other MPs.
“He is consultative. He has high moral uprightness and morality.
“He is progressive and transformational.
“He transformed PM, Treasurer, Duma and myself.
“He is visionary with high integrity.
“You (Sir Michael) should be a proud man. Here is your creation. Parliament is full of leaders you have nurtured and cultured.”