Despatches from the front – that AGM

Yesterday’s annual general meeting of the Papua New Guinea Association recognised it was time to pass on the baton to the next generation. In my view, it was very appropriate that this happened at a contested election – the first in the Association’s 57-year history.

I say this because the election provided a clear choice to members between an Association that would continue in its present state and one that would seek a new and more expansive direction. Members chose the latter.

While the returning officers merely announced the result of yesterday’s election, not the precise count, I understand the policies I espoused secured the overwhelming support of members who voted at the meeting and the overwhelming number of members who voted by proxy. The new committee therefore has been given the clearest mandate for change by those members interested enough to vote.

Change, however, does not mean disregarding or disrespecting the inheritance and history of the Association. On the contrary, the committee will be seeking new ways to honour the past and the senior members of the PNGAA, who care for the organisation so passionately.

Yesterday was also an opportunity for members to pay fitting tribute to outgoing president Harry West, stepping down after 25 years at the helm.

Harry’s PNG experience began as a young Lieutenant in the Australian Army and saw him tasked with many exacting roles including representing the then Territory at the United Nations Trusteeship Council and, when District Commissioner in Rabaul, leading the Administration’s response to the Mataungan uprising on the Gazelle Peninsula.

Harry was honoured by his peers yesterday by being given life membership of the Association. I also intend to ask the new committee to create a position of ‘President Emeritus’ that Harry can occupy at his pleasure.

I encourage readers of ASOPA PEOPLE who are not PNGAA members to join the Association. The excellent quarterly journal, Una Voce, which is only available to members, is alone worth the membership fee of just $20 a year. You can click through to the membership form here.

Comments

[Bob Davis]

Well done - congratulations. I hope you can achieve your goals. You obviously have some firm ideas on which direction to steer the Association.

[Richard E. Jones]

MY congratulations, also, Keith on an election well fought and (apparently) comprehensively won.
I was always confident you'd get up. Be elected, should I say. Let's not have any double entendres in a note passing on felicitations !
I know Andrea Williams will welcome your considerable assistance in preparing the quarterly Una Voce magazine.
Wasn't it amazing how many former PNG-ites (by their own admission on this site) were unaware of the little magazine's existence until this election hove into view ? Ah well. Only a few of us have eked out a living in either the print or elctronic media since leaving the tropical climes of PNG.
Keep up the good work, Masta Kit.

[Justin Kili OBE]

Well congratulations on your new elevation and I am supportive that you would bring new experience to the group and meet its new challenges head on.

I have distributed this widely to the PNG media including the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) IN Fiji, Pacific Media Watch (NZ) and the Radio Australia PNG Service in Melbourne.

Looking forward to meeting with you when you visit.

[Mulai Robby]

Tripela congratulations for your new appointment. Looking forward to working together in the media.

Mulai Robby
Chief of Staff, News
National Broadcasting Corporation
Papua New Guinea

[Anna Schaafsma]

Congratulations on your election as President of the PNGAA. Looking forward to great things.

[Assoc Prof Martin Hadlow]

Heartiest congratulations Keith on gaining the chair role of the PNG Association. To be honest, I was unaware of the Association until you began mentioning it recently. I'm signing up... Good luck with the challenge.

[Dan Claasen]

Was just browsing the PNGAA website and noted your ascendancy to the presidency. Congratulations from an ex kiap and sometime visitor to your excellent web-site.

[Dr Chris Owner]

Good choice. I hope all goes well. If I can be of any assistance (unlikely in the US, I guess) let me know.

[Bill Welbourne]

Congratulations, Keith. From the start I confidently had the feeling that it was ‘fait accompli’ for you and why bother about an election. I am looking forward with interest to the new invigorated energy I know you will instil into the Association.

[Don Hook]

Congratulations on your election as president of PNGAA. I wish you well. I'm sure the association is in for productive and exciting times ahead under your leadership.

My old friend Clive Troy has pointed me towards ASOPA PEOPLE, which I've read with great interest. My father Walter ‘Wally’ Hook and another commando, Mick Morell, escaped from Rabaul in 1942. They were members of the 1st Independent Company which had its headquarters at Kavieng. Their escape is documented in the unit history ‘We Were the First’ edited by A ‘Sandy’ McNab. My father was incorrectly shown on some lists as having been on the ‘Montevideo Maru’. He died in 1945 from injuries received in an accident.

I have kept in touch over the years with the handful of his colleagues who survived. There are only a few still alive including Mick Morell.

I was very interested to hear of Charlie Ketsimur's radio station. My wife and I spent about two months last year working as volunteers at Dylup Estates, 70km north-west of Madang. While there, I tried several times to contact Charlie at Buka by telephone. On one occasion I missed him by a few minutes. On another occasion, I was told he would be available at a certain time but he did not turn up.

While I was in PNG last year, I did meet Theo Tuya, former journalist turned politician. Theo joined me at the ABC in 1974. A great character but a hopeless politician. Also met Ian Boden who was teaching at the School of Journalism, Divine Word University.

Re your story about Bob Menzies. I remember covering a visit to PNG by Menzies in 1963 when he officially opened the Sirinumu Dam. From memory, he stayed with Col Sefton near Sogeri. Again, congratulations and best wishes.

[Ken McGregor]

PNGAA - congratulations again. A great result. Now you’ll just have to carry out all those bloody things you mentioned!

[Joseph Crainean]

Wonderful news, Keith, on your election to the PNGAA Presidential position. I believe you have injected new life into it. Excellent result for a reinvigorated PNGAA - and perhaps an upgraded 'Una Voce'.

I wonder how you find the time and energy for all that you do. We are really happy for you. This position will lend extra weight for your aims for our cooperation and enlightened relationships with PNG.

Although my dad, John Crainean, was a member before he passed away, and I had read some of his copies of 'Una Voce' with a degree of interest, I was not inspired to join.
You have changed all that with your new ideas and enthusiasm. I have now become a member. I am sure many more ex-chalkies and others will now be encouraged to join.

[Dr Ann Prendergast]

I was so pleased to hear the result of the election. Congratulations.

[Jane Belfield]

Congratulations! (Especially as I voted for you!). I'm not at all surprised at your win. You were the obvious choice; the other candidate appeared to be resting on his father's laurels and, compared with you, having very little to offer from his own experience.

I see that, as the new PNGAA president, you are already at work recruiting new members!
Beats me how you find time for this new role on top of all your other commitments. Do you have any leisure time at all?

[Siebrand Petrusma]

My heartiest congratulations! I trust that your tenure and contribution will be both enjoyable and rewarding.

[Andrea Williams]

Just wanted to congratulate you on your overwhelming mandate! It is a vital change in the Association’s history.

I look forward to moving forward energetically without losing ties from the past – in this way the association will grow ‘organically’, and I do feel that’s what we need. What you have said has been appreciated. Naturally you have my support.

[Murray Bladwell]

Congratulations mate! An exciting and challenging task in which I know you'll thrive. I will be joining PNGAA.

[Paul Oates]

Congratulations on your win and I fully support your views on the future of
the Association. Thank you for your references to my meagre offerings on the exkiap site as well.

[Henry Bodman]

Congratulations, and I am sure that the Association will prosper under your leadership. I hope you won't go overboard with the "expansive direction" and don't play with the 'Una Voce' fees!

[Kevin Smith]

Just a brief note to congratulate you on your election. It couldn’t have gone to a better person in view of all that you have done in recent years for 'The Mail'.

Although Erica and I have been fairly quiet, we have followed with great interest everything that happened with our ASOPA wantoks – and of course 'The Mail' has been vital.

Erica and I met at ASOPA . We have been working in China for the past twelve years but are basically back in Melbourne, being dutiful grandparents and I am in final stages of PhD at Melbourne University.

Kevin Smith (ASOPA ‘60/61)
Erica Smith (Ardill) (ASOPA ‘61/62)

[Ed Brumby]

My heartiest congratulations, Keith. A well-deserved outcome, and a prompt for me, after years of procrastination, to join the PNGAA. I wish you every success in breathing some new life and ideas into the organisation – I certainly support all of your objectives as president

[Donald Daniels]

Marvellous news, Keith,sincere congratulations. My goodness, a chalkie in the top position...the old kiaps will be shaking their heads and downing the six-pack of greenies.

I wonder when the Thailand sub-branch will commence?? I know of a few ex PNGs who are in the entertainment industry (a lovely word for sex) or merely old reprobates like myself growing old disgracefully! Once again Keith, congratulations

[Rod Hard]

Congratulations Keith. Maybe this is what the Association needs. I have emailed my application and transferred the membership funds as advised.

[Val Murphy]

Congratulations, Keith. I presume you won by more than one vote and I wasn't the difference. You need to improve your sex life, sending emails at 4.51am can't be good for your life balance. Anyway Keith I’m thrilled for you and I know you will do a great job.

Val Murphy.

[Bob Cochrane]

Congrats dear 'New Directions' President. Can Sherry Telley be pointed in a new direction? Wishing you a fruitful Presidency and name change for 'Una Voce'.