Thank you for a chef’s contribution

By JEFFREY ELAPA
HIS mind drifts back to the 1980 as he remembers his classmates and those who have played a part at Sogeri National High School in 1980s to make him what he is today.
Inviting them all for a pre-Christmas reunion last Saturday, private accountant Watts Kiddie did not forget Engan Kuinz Abui, the old school chef from Wapenamanda who had fed him and all other ex-Sogerians between 1970 and 2002.
Kiddie is the owner and managing director of private accounting firm, Kiddie & Associates, located at Gordon opposite the Coca-Cola complex along the Poreporena Freeway and adjacent to the SP Brewery depot.
Looking back at those years at tertiary school and the developments that had taken place over the years, Kiddie did not doubt the years between 1980 and 1981 were the best.
Confiding in The National, Kiddie said: “The years 1980-81 were good years for my schoolmates and I.
“Looking back, many of us are now contributing to the nation in our own special ways, and it is all thanks to the teaching staff that we had then and other key people like chef Abui,” he said.
Kiddie, from Dei district in Western Highlands, is happy with his successes in business so far.
Recently, Kiddie & Associates was awarded a K4 billion contract from a foreign interest, said to be the first for Papua New Guinean accounting firms since independence.
A man of few words, Kiddie said many of his schoolmates had turned out to be great lawyers, accountants, doctors, soldiers, politicians and businessmen and women.
He said the initiative to bring together his Sogeri mates and chef Abui last Saturday was because while every day all throughout a year was spent on work and other commitments in life, Christmas was a time when old schoolmates, friends, families and workmates would gather to celebrate their achievements in life, maintain their relationships and plan for the New Year.
Kiddie said while all ex-Sogerians had continued this three decade-old tradition, this year was made special with the invitation of chef Abui in recognition for his part in feeding and looking after them while in school.
“I am proud to have my old school’s cook celebrating with us here.
“He was like our father who prepared food for us for the two years we studied at Sogeri National High School. As a show of appreciation, I invited him to celebrate Christmas with us,” he said.
Kiddie also flew in his hardworking employees from the company’s Lae office to join in the celebrations.