Before his passing the Grand Chief late Sir Michael Somare commissioned carvers in Angoram in East Sepik Province to carve a gift for the late Sir Julius Chan on the occasion of the country’s 45th Independence and the opening of the New Ireland Provincial Assembly in September 2020. Sir Michael’s long time Press Officer Mr. Rodney Kamus recalled the story behind the carving of late Sir Julius which was Sir Michael’s last gift to Sir Julius that now still stands tall in the New Ireland Provincial Assembly House in New Ireland. He said the 2020 PNG Independence celebrations on September 16th fell on the same date as the opening of the new assembly and the late Sir Michael presented only one carving to Sir J to be kept in the new assembly. “There were three carvings made and only one was presented to the late Sir J and the other two stayed back in Wewak. Five months after that memorable occasion Sir Michael Passed away and that was probably his last gift to Sir J. Today I walked back into the Assembly to pay my final respects to the late Sir J, and I had goose bumps seeing the carving of Sir J still standing as Sir J lay in the Chambers in his home province,” Mr. Kamus said.