The Government will host a Melanesian Style National Hauskrai for the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare at the Sir John Guise Indoor Stadium, Port Moresby starting today and will end next week on the 10th of March.
All Provinces have been divided into groups and given specific days in this two weeks to visit pay their respects at the Hauskrai.
This was announced today by Prime Minister James Marape who said the first team to visit the Hauskrai will be the Motu Koita people led by their Chairman, Mr. Dadi Toka.
The Final Program will see the following Provinces pay their respects to the Late Grand Chief on these set days:
Monday 1st March – Motukoitabu
Tuesday 2nd March – Central and Gulf Provinces
Wednesday 3rd March – Milne Bay, Oro and Western
Thursday 4th March – East New Britain, West New Britain and New Ireland
Friday 5th March – Manus, AROB and Enga
Saturday 6th March – Eastern Highlands and Chimbu
Sunday 7th March – Jiwaka and Western Highlands Province
Monday 8th March – Hela and Southern Highlands Province
Tuesday 9th March – Madang and Morobe Province
Wednesday 10th March – East Sepik and West Sepik Province
According to the Prime Minister, this is a programmed hauskrai and people are advised to not just show up but follow through with the program.
Host of the National Hauskrai, NCD Governor Powes Parkop has advised residents that space capacity will not allow them to host everyone especially with the covid19 protocols of social distancing in place.
“With the spike in Covid19 in the City, we will most likely have to allow a minimum of 50 people to pay their respects at the Indoor Complex.”
“The indoor Stadium will be unable to cater for everyone so we have organized the outside for rest of the citizens.”
Governor Parkop further added that this program was created to help manage the Hauskrai and for the public to express their sorrow, pay their respects and also to celebrate the life that he lived, his achievements and values.
The Late Grand Chief will lay in State on the 11th of March for his last Parliamentary Respect and his State Funeral will be on the 12th of March at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby.