After two decades of dedicated service to the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC), long-time employee Arua Kwariwai bid farewell to MRDC staff and management. MRDC Managing Director Mr. Augustine Mano paid tribute to Arua, thanking him for his long and dedicated service to the company. "Arua has been part of the journey, the evolution and growth of MRDC. As part of the finance/accounts team, he has seen the change, from paper to the digital age. "We have been privileged to have him as a member of our team. Now that he has called time on a wonderful career, we wish him well in his retirements," Mr. Mano said. Mr. Kwariwai, from Kemabolo in the Central Province, first joined MRDC in 1992. He handled a range of accounts responsibilities, from accounts receivable and payables to taxation. "Everything in terms of internal and external processes was done manually back in those days," Mr. Kwariwai recalled, reflecting on his early years as part of a small team managing crucial financial operations by hand. Detailing his initial role, Mr. Kwariwai said, "I started in accounts as an accounts officer, and in that section, there were only two of us. I was doing all the accounts duties to the treasury, and everything in between. It was all done manually. We were writing information payment instructions. The cheques were written manually. I was doing the cheque raising, reconciling accounts payments, and paying by cheque." His career saw a few transitions. "I continued in that role until the formation of Origin Minerals Limited in mid-1996, when I transferred," he explained. "Shortly afterwards, in mid-1999, I moved to Oil Search Limited (now Santos) following the merger between Oil Search and Origin Minerals." A period of change followed. "However, at the end of 2000, I was made redundant. I returned home to my village, leaving behind the bright lights of Port Moresby." The call to service came again. "In July 2005, I was recalled, rejoining MRDC, a call I was proud to answer," Mr. Kwariwai shared. Among his memorable experiences, Mr. Kwariwai recounted the immense responsibility of transporting substantial sums of cash, often in the millions, for distribution to landowners. "My journey with MRDC came to an end on April 11, 2025, due to health reasons," Mr. Kwariwai said. "Throughout those years, I took great pride and joy in serving as an accounts person. I would like to thank all those I have had the privilege to work with in my 20 years of service to the company." During his farewell, Mr. Kwariwai told his colleagues: "There will always be good and bad times at the workplace. The difference lies in the choices we make. I encourage each of you to be wise in your decision-making."