Women want state funeral

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday February 4th, 2014

 WOMEN’S council executives are expecting a response from the prime minister this week regarding their request for a state funeral for their late president, Scholla Kakas.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neil is expected to make an appearance at Kakas’ haus krai in Gerehu. 

State paid funerals are often reserved for MPs and NCD Governor Powes Parkop said last Saturday O’Neill had indicated he was hesitant to grant one for Kakas. 

Rex Paki, Kakas’ brother-in-law, said the family had agreed to hand all the funeral responsibilities to the government and the women’s council.  

“She offered herself for Papua New Guinea and we, as her family, are asking for the government to take responsibility for her body because she is the property of the state,” Paki said. 

 “If there is one word to summarise Scholla, the word is sacrifice. You can see that by looking at the run down house she lived in, with the water cut off for two years. 

“All her life, she was married to the women affairs, NGO affairs and church affairs,” Paki said.

“She doesn’t have a husband or children, she didn’t claim a place in Kiap or Moresby, her place was in the National Council of Women.”