The man I knew as Michael Tom

Former civil servant and political advisor Paul Bengo reminisces his days with the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.

By CHRISTINE PAKAKOTA
AS the clock winds down to the end of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare’s era, a close aide tells of how this great man delivered his love letters.
Paul Bengo, 72, from Korogopa village in Angoram, East Sepik, like many others, has fond memories of his times with Sir Michael. They called each other kas.
“My friendship with Grand Chief started in 1964, where two young men from the Sepik River forged a friendship that spanned over the last 57 years.”
Fighting back tears and with a trembling voice Bengo said: “When Papua New Guinea was going through a rapid political process in 1971/1972, I used his service to deliver my love letters to my girlfriend at the time, who later became my wife, Raphaela Gasmareng, who was a student at the South Pacific Centre in Suva, Fiji.
“On that note, I also wish to mention that I used the service of late Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta, when he was the Secretary of the Department of Finance, not knowing that he was going to be Prime Minister one day, to deliver my love letters.”
Smiling, he adds: “I was fortunate to have used the service of two prime ministers in my romantic days.”
When Bengo got married on April 23, 1973 Sir Michael was one of the distinguished speakers at his wedding reception at the University Club at UPNG.
“I have seen all his children grow and I have remained a part of the Somare family and have witnessed the initiation of Betha in Kris village, East Sepik; I was the master of ceremony at Arthur Somare’s wedding to Tahiri Homerang on Sir Peter Barter’s boat at Fairfax Harbour in Moresby in 1993 and on a number of occasions, I’ve been called upon to mediate at family disagreements amongst the children.”
In 2005, at the passing his wife Raphaela Gasmareng Bengo, Sir Michael was there for Bengo and allowed Lady Veronica Somare to accompany him to her funeral and burial in New Ireland.
“He was involved in the arrangements of my 70th birthday held at the Port Moresby Nature Park in 2018, in fact he was the first guest to arrive with his children Betha, Sana and Arthur.”
With glassy eyes Bengo says: “I knew him as Michael Tom. I heard of him back in 1956/57 through his great uncle Aipa Emang when he was my teacher back at Angoram Primary School.
“I was scared of him because I heard from many of my uncles who were his students that he was a tough man dealing with corporal punishment as a teacher.
“And when I heard that I was going to be transferred from Angoram to Brandi, I thought I was going to go to this school with the man called Michael Tom and I started to feel sorry for myself because of his corporal punishment.”
He smiled and said it was definitely through God’s grace and intervention, the teacher Michael Tom was transferred out from Brandi to Tusbab in Madang.
Bengo said he was known as Michael Tom but his transfer from Education to Information Services saw him change his name to Michael Somare.

“ I was scared of him because I heard from many of my uncles who were his students that he was a tough man dealing with corporal punishment as a teacher.

His transfer was because his interest in politics had become obvious.
“It was only in 1964, whilst on Christmas holidays from Kerevat High School that was the first time that I met Michael Tom in person when he was working as a radio announcer/reporter at Radio Wewak under the Department of Information & Extension Services.
“The second time I met with him was in 1967 while I was undertaking my preliminary year at the newly established University of Papua New Guinea.
“On weekends, I would visit him, Lady Veronica and their first born daughter Betha at their residence at Hohola, adjacent to Murray Barracks.”
Bengo said after his graduation in 1972 at the University of Papua New Guinea, he joined the university administration where he took charge of a number of student services such as orientation, registration and time tabling of students’ academic lectures.
“While being an officer at UPNG, the transition to self-government took place where the legislative councill was named as the legislative assembly.
“In April 1974, upon the direction of Chief Minister Michael Somare to Professor Ken Inglis, Vice Chancellor of UPNG, I was seconded from UPNG to the Chief Minister’s office alongside people like Dame Meg Taylor, Sir Moi Avei, Nahau Rooney and others as his personal political staff.”
Bengo took over from Sir Rabbie Namaliu who was the first principal private secretary (now the chief of staff).
“As one of his political staff, I had the privilege to witness the official transmission of the final constitution planning report by John Momis, deputy chairman of the CPC on Aug 13, 1974 to Sir Michael.
“This final report was the most important document upon which the provisions of the constitution were to be formulated.”
Sharing many encounters, he smiles…“though sometimes short-tempered, the Grand Chief was also quick to reconcile difference”.