Thank you Mr Governor!

I wanted to write this post whilst the feeling of deep gratitude was still fresh in my mind.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog – I was scheduled to visit a village for a night in the Upper Bena District, the name of the village slips my mind. The occasion was to welcome a Canadian Indian Chief (and a few other VIP’s including the Governor himself), currently visiting the EHP, and to wish good luck to a cultural group from the same village which is due to depart PNG shortly for Canada on a cultural exchange and tour. I was invited by my mate Norm – whom is a village leader and is also heading with the sing sing troupe abroad.

Mr “Kela” Governor Smith – Eastern Highland’s Provincial “El Supremo” in his wisdom and deep consideration for others decides (at 1:00pm) to defer the visit for a week. The inconvenience caused to me personally was insignificant compared to the what the folks from the village felt. I saw the look on their faces and listened to their disappointment as we waited around the Upper-Bena bus stop in Goroka town.

Not sure what to make of it all – for me personally, a change of plan is something that I have learnt to adjust to since coming to PNG. I’m more relaxed and tolerant of unexpected timetable changes than I have ever been. Although I was really looking forward to seeing the “cane swallowing” ceremony and sleeping in their “haus man” – it’s really no big deal. The alternative to today’s plan is now unfolding as I sit in front of my laptop and pump out another post for the blog, besides I get to sleep in my own bed!

What concerns me is the way the village folks were let down after getting all geared up and ready for the occasion. I sure hope that the reason for the change of plan was genuine – I’d hate to think that the visit to the village was rescheduled for a trivial reason or a personal whim.

I heard the Governor speak last Friday at the official lunch for the PM of Australia held at Pacific Gardens – and although it was a longish speech – I have to admit that I strongly supported elements of what he had to say – especially when he touched on corruption in PNG and it’s strong links to Waigani in Moresby – I thought this was particularly courageous of the Governor as there were Minister’s of the National Government present at the time.

Many folks in the Eastern Highland’s have a deep respect for the work that the Governor has and is currently doing in this Province – these folks might very well might be right. It’s just that in the last week I have experienced a couple of the Governor’s actions which have marred my view of him. Firstly, when he tried to veto the Australian vollies, currently working in Goroka, from attending the PM’s lunch last Friday and now the last minute rescheduling of his visit with the Indian Chief to my mate’s village in the Upper Bena District.

Side note: “Kela” in Tok Pisin by the way means “baldy” (as in no hair). The governor officially changed his name back during the 2002 national elections after the Eastern Highland’s folks nicknamed him “Kela”. So his name is now Mr. Malcolm Kela Smith. And yes… he is bald.

The Land of the Unexpected is always full of surprises!

Thankfully – mostly positive ones.