Four ex-Papua New Guinea expatriates got together on Sunday. Two served in PNG as Kiaps (Patrol Officers); I taught there for ten years and the other, Mike, was with DASF (Department of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries).
Harvey was a Kiap and we met in the Sepik District in the early 1970s. My Vocational Centre students completed two projects for Harvey; one an aid post and the other to dismantle a prefabricated building and move it another site and reassemble it.
Vocational centres had to be self-sufficient with materials, tools, vehicles and fuels etc. Staff salaries and boarding school rations were the province of the administration.
Much discussion on Sunday was about different characters, successful and some not so successful. The DASF person Mike had also moved to different stations during his time in PNG and the day was spent imbibing some (plenty of) beer (I remained sober as I was to drive Harvey’s car back to his home) and lots of ‘Do you remember so and so? All of us agreed that we were most fortunate and proud to have been part of the the lead up to Independence with extraordinary adventures never to be had again anywhere.
The old fellas....me being the oldest at 76 this month. Click to enlarge.
Mike, me, Harvey and Garry
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