New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan was given a rousing reception back to New Ireland on Thursday the 19th of January after two and a half months away from the Province.
Upon arrival he was taken on a tour of the new look Kavieng Airport, an infrastructure project close to his heart. One which he penned off in 1995 when he signed the Lihir MOA as then Prime Minister.
Outside the Airport terminal he was met by a patriotic crowd of New Irelanders and Senior Administrative Executives. Chief Maimai’s chanting the New Ireland way to welcome back New Ireland’s most beloved paramount Chief.
“ Mi welkamim you long eye blo haus blo you. Olsem you yet I bin kamapim long driman belong you. You fulfilim ol tingting blo you. Mi putim mise lo neck blo you olsem you fulfilim pinis,” said Maimai Lawrence.
“Ol pipol blo Niu Ailan welkamin you back long haus boi bilong you. Mipla i sore long you silip long bed. Tasol you kam kamap. Ol steal man, ol go insait natin long haus boi blong you long rausim malagan blong you. Displa Malagan you yet i cuttim. Ino narapela man. As a Prime Minister you did plant it,” said Chief Maimai Tonyrob Penias.
Sir J taken aback by the reception responded with a stern and serious, yet uplifting message back to the people of New Ireland.
He said there was a lot of hardwork ahead and New Ireland had to continue to rebuild itself through new thinking and bringing new life to the Province.
“So yumi olgeta, I want you to work with the Government and the administration with New life, New thinking and we will bring New Ireland forward. And stay ahead of all the other Provinces.”
Sir J said he was hospitalized for two months at two different hospitals and up to 10 different Doctors treated him. While he was in hospital he heard rumours that he had passed away. “ Na long ples, ol lain no sa laikim me tumas long politiks blo ol, oli putim pinis long mobile olsem me dai pinis. 7 pla taim olgeta mi dai, na me kam bek to life.”
He said no one has the right to condemn anyone to death because everyone’s life has already been predestined by God. “ Taim mama blong me karim me long butana blong em, em displa dei em makim bai mi lusim youpela. Ino yupla ol cow boy, kakaruk man/meri long ples. Na yupla man husait i hambak, me can tokim yupla, nau bai upla go pas.”
He emphasized that time spent at the hospital has allowed him to see how important health services are and promised to improve the services in the Province through a Free and subsided Health policy which is currently being worked on.
Sir J then made time to pay his last respects to the late Sir Leonard Wilson Kamit who was buried at the CIS cemetary in Kavieng that same afternoon.
The next day Sir J continued the momentum by holding a Government situation meeting with all sector heads to get a report on all current and outstanding matters in the province.
This included the high rise in lawlessness due to the influx of people from other provinces into New Ireland.
Next week the New Ireland Government will hold Provincial Implementation Committee and Provincial Executive Council meetings on Tuesday and the Provincial Assembly sitting on Wednesday to pass the 2023 New Ireland Budget.