Keith Jackson resigns the presidency of the Papua New Guinea Association saying that a vocal minority of people within the Association are implacably opposed to change and he has no desire to preside over a voluntary organisation in which such divisions persist"
Long-standing PNGAA member, Nancy Johnston, says people who want to change the PNGAA should create another organisation: “Let [us] be left in peace to enjoy the Association and what it originally stood for - friendship amongst ourselves
PNGAA members in
A survey of the PNG
Attitude newsletter and blog shows readers want more current views of PNG
and
Scientist Carleton Gajdusek, 85, whose research into kuru
led to important insights into brain disease, dies in
Pioneer PNG Highlands entrepreneur Sir Danny Leahy dies in Toowoomba hospital surrounded by family. “Although he was a physically powerful man, he would never raise his voice in anger or resort to violence,” said Goroka Chamber of Commerce President, Terry Shelley
Ex kiap David Speakman, 71, dies. He was a onetime Deputy Clerk
of the PNG House of Assembly and later pursued a successful business career in
“We’ve received an avalanche of commentary in the main supportive of my decision to quit the PNGAA presidency. We Australians who care about PNG, and about its people, and who want to do something tangible to maintain and improve the relationship, will continue along that path. Meanwhile, I no longer have to deal with and try to manage the narrow attitudes of some PNGAA senior members like the one, who, in a recent submission to the Association, observed: ‘I doubt if many members would agree that this Association was for the betterment of the Australia-PNG relationship’” – Keith Jackson
“I walked away from the PNGAA presidency because the conflict was not to my liking. The numbers were there to win, but to use them would have been divisive on my part and I did not want to preside over an Association in this state… I believe I can make an effective contribution to PNG without having to struggle with some pretty ordinary people every step of the way” – Keith Jackson
“Most of the people around here [Duke of York islands] haven’t seen white people before. You imagine if a spaceship landed in your suburb at home and all these funny looking aliens came out with their funny little gadgets - what do you reckon you’d do?” – Craig Tansley, Sydney Morning Herald writer, who seems to believe everything he’s told no matter how preposterous
“I’m aged almost 70, and have spent 50 of those years in PNG, mostly at the coalface of the culture clash between tradition and the West; maddeningly frustrating at times. It has nonetheless been a life full of enjoyment and one which has yielded much of great value in terms of working relationships and personal friendships” - John Fowke
Most commented onPNGAA controversy - 71
Death of Sir Danny Leahy - 3
David Speakman was deputy clerk of the House of Assembly. The Clerk at that time got a bit upset when he read this in the Una Voca. Best not upset him again.
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The entry has been amended - KJ
Posted by: Diane Bohlen | 27 December 2009 at 10:08 PM