My memories of 1975

By MALUM NALU

Where were you in 1975?

That is the question many people will be asking each other as Papua New Guinea celebrates 36 years of independence tomorrow.

Many others – the majority – will simply say “I wasn’t even born then”.

I was in Goroka in 1975 and can fondly say that it was one of the best years of my life.

Girl guides float in Goroka, September 16, 1975

The first thing that struck me about Goroka was the beautiful flowers, shrubs and roaring streams.

I was then seven years old, bound to turn eight later that momentous year, but the memories are still there – albeit fading – 35 years on.

The family of my mum, dad, elder sister, elder brother, my younger sister and me disembarked from an Air Niugini F27 Fokker Friendship one cold January morning in 1975.

I took my first breath – fresh, cool and clean mountain air – of what would be our home for the next three years until the end of 1977.

Back in 1975, mum, dad and my elder siblings were no newcomers to Goroka and the then Eastern Highlands District.

Mum and dad came here as newly weds to Iufi Iufa primary school, Asaro Valley, in the early 1960s.

My father Mathias was a school inspector and an ex-Dregerhafen and Sogeri schoolmate of one Michael Somare while my Moasing mother was a missionary-trained nurse.

It was here that my elder sister Alison and my elder brother David were born.

I have so many pleasant memories of growing up in Goroka.

In those pre-independence and immediate post-independence days, colonialism was still in the air, hence, there being so many expatriates.

Goroka was a neat, well-planned colonial town, which – like Lae and Kainantu – was built around the airport.

And the airport then was a hive of activity, especially given Goroka being the base of Dennis Buchanan’s Talair and ex-Vietnam veteran Mal Smith’s Pacific Helicopters.

Throwing frisbees and flying kites in the park, riding bikes, chasing muna (those seasonal beetles eaten by the locals), buying sweets, comic and books at West Goroka and dreaming on those endless summer afternoons in December were among our great passions.

Comic book trading – Donald Duck, Phantom, Walt Disney, Ritchie Rich, Casper The Friendly Ghost, Wendy The Good Little Witch, Bugs Bunny…and I could go on and on with the characters – was a way of life among us kids in those days.

I have no qualms that I learned more English and the nuances of grammar from those comic books than from school.

Professional boxing was all the rage in those days of inimitable fighters like Martin Beni, the late John Aba, his brother Tony, Mark Apai and the lot.

Through the late Norm Salter – the great fight promoter – Goroka was able to host its share of professional and amateur bouts as well as wrestling matches featuring men, women and even midgets from overseas.

Goroka’s YC Hall was the equivalent of Madison Square Gardens in the US - the true centre of boxing in the country.

The YC was also the centre stage for basketball in those days with national championships being held there in 1975, 1976 and 1977.

The showground, now the National Sports Institute, saw bone crushing rugby league matches as well as aerial rules football contests.

Of course, nothing in Goroka would be complete without the annual show, a colorful extravaganza of singsings, agricultural produce and those wonderful show bags we loved so much.

The West Goroka Theatre, now the NSI gymnasium, was where we would sit on old coffee bags and watch those good old Bruce Lee and James Bond movies, as well as thrillers like Airport ’75, Jaws, Towering Inferno and King Kong – the place being literally packed to the rafters.

Radio then was king – there being no such thing as EMTV or video – and it was a joy to listen to the Sunday night dramas, Grade 10 quizzes and the live coverage of rugby league and other sports on the National Broadcasting Commission’s Medium Wave transmission.

Yes, indeed, life was a wonderful dream for us who grew up in Goroka at the time.

Of course, in 1975, independence was in the air.

Young men who championed the cause, like Michael Somare, were treated with disdain by the lapuns and old colonials, who argued that independence would be a catastrophe.

Little PNG flags and independence t-shirts and caps were very fashionable.

At school the teacher, a beautiful Hula, Central province woman called Mrs Manoka, would ask us, one by one, to give our individual oratories about this thing called ‘Independence’.

That year, in April, there was excitement all around the brand new PNG currency was introduced.

Shiny 10 and 20 toes coins were all the rage among us kids.

The venerable Australian dollars and cents, which had become part of our lives, continued to be legal tender until after independence.

Also that eventful year, by quirk of fate, a big frost in Brazil – the world’s biggest coffee producer – saw prices skyrocket.

It was a cause to celebrate with fortunes being made overnight, especially in the Highlands.

At the West Goroka shopping centre just down the road from where we lived, it was a common sight to see villagers in as tanget (leaf coverings, which were worn widely in those days instead of clothes) with huge wads of cash going on an orgy of spending, buying big cow legs, beer and stereos for the inevitable parties that followed.

My uncle, the coffee tycoon Jack Amos, made millions overnight and celebrated by travelling to the Phillipines to watch that famous ‘Thrilla in Manilla’ world heavyweight championship bout between Muhammed Ali and ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier.

These all added to the big party that was 1975.

September 15, 1975, was the last day for PNG to come under colonial rule

We sat up until 12am on September 16, when Governor-General Sir John Guise did the Proclamation of Independence, broadcast live over the ever-reliable NBC:

“Papua New Guinea is now independent.

“The Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, under which all powers rest with the people, is now in effect.

“We have at this point in time broken with out colonial past and we now stand as an independent nation in our own right.

“Let us unite, with almighty God’s guidance and help, in working together for a future as a strong and free country.”

And then the fireworks exploded into the Goroka night sky to herald the start of a new day, a new era and a new Nation-State.

It was a time for celebration, but also a poignant occasion, as the Australian flag came down for the last time.

In addition, many a tear was shed by the lapun man/meri (old men/women) as that great icon of colonialism was lowered.

Today, 36 years later, Goroka is still a beautiful place.

In fact, I spent four years there from 1998 to 2002, finding myself back on my childhood stomping grounds.

It was like arriving at a place I’d never left!

Memories of another day, those oh-so-happy childhood days, came rushing back.

And nostalgia filled my heart every time I saw something that reminded me of those blissful days.

Goroka still hasn’t lost its basic shape of 1975, 1976 and 1977 and still has that colonial feel about it.

Goroka, to me, is home.

After all, my siblings and I were born, raised and educated here.

In later years, my late wife and I spent four wonderful years in Goroka, and it was there that my two elder sons were born.

I dream of a golden future for this pleasantly agreeable town with its perennial spring climate, majestic sentinel-like mountains and bouquet of perfumed flowers.

Happy 36^th  Birthday Goroka and Papua New Guinea and God Bless You real good!

Songs that united Papua New Guinea

By MALUM NALU

Come tomorrow, Papua New Guineans will join together to celebrate our 36^th anniversary of independence, linking hands to the refrain of ‘Oh Arise All You Sons’.

As we all join hands, spare a thought for other unity songs of that eventful period of PNG’s history, which did so much to bring together the many different tribes of this country.

‘Oh Arise All You Sons’ – the National Anthem – was composed by Tom Shacklady, the bandmaster of the Royal PNG Constabulary Band, and won a competition for a new anthem in the period just before independence.

It is interesting to note that when the competition was on, the song “Papua New Guinea” – composed by the remarkable Geoffrey Baskett – was proposed by many people.

Geoff Baskett (left) at the presentation of an MBE at Government House

Papua New Guinea

Our land is the island of high mountains,

Of sunlit palms and coral sea,

Where our people sing while the drums are beating,

For our land is strong and free.

Papua……….New Guinea……….

Papua New Guinea our Motherland

Every tribe and race, let us work together,

United we shall stand

There’s a bright new day dawning for our land

As every tribe and race unite

Sons and daughters arise, we’ll advance together

With God to guide us in the right.

Papua……….New Guinea……….

Papua New Guinea our Motherland

Every tribe and race, let us work together

United we shall stand.

Baskett, the founder of Lae-based Kristen Redio, also wrote three other songs which are printed is a hymn book that is in wide use in PNG.

Two of these songs – ‘Islands and Mountains’ and ‘We Are Free’ – reflect his great love of a country he spent nearly 60 years in and for which he was awarded the MBE in 1990.

Baskett was born at Kohat in the high Himalayan mountains of India and lived a fascinating life, one which every schoolboy dreams of.

As a teenager, he left Sydney for a six-week visit to Kwato, an island off the southeast coast of Papua.

That visit turned into nearly 60 years of service to the nation of PNG.

Baskett first came to PNG in 1933 and worked day and night shifts on tractors and a gold dredge on the Bulolo gold fields, served on the islands and mainland with Australia New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) during World War 11 when he rose through the ranks from private to captain.

 He also worked in various capacities on the staff of the well-known Kwato Mission and founded a complex for the production of Christian radio programs for 19 radio stations before his “retirement” to Australia.

Baskett tells of the songs he wrote, and his love for PNG, in his autobiography Islands and Mountains.

“Four songs I have written are now printed in a hymn book that is in wide use in Papua New Guinea, and I have often thought that these songs have contributed more to this nation than any book I could have written,” he writes in the book.

“After all, a book once it has been read is usually put away on a shelf for a very long time before it is read again, whereas a song, usually a hymn, is used time and time again, often long after the death of the composer.

“One of the songs in the hymn book is called ‘Islands and Mountains’…the first verse reads:

Islands and mountains, sunshine and breeze,

Flowers and moonlight, swaying palm trees,

Jungles and rivers, white coral sand.

This is my country, this is my land.

“I wrote that for a children’s concert at Kwato, making up a tune with a suitable waltz-like rhythm.

“As it was often sung to visiting tourists, it became quite popular, especially among the Scouts and Guides.

“When some Guides sang it at a gathering in Port Moresby, it was learned by a group of Australian Guides who then took it back with them.

“Soon afterwards, I was asked if it could be printed in their Australian Guides’ songbook and I of course gave them permission.

“It is now known through international Guides’ circles as the ‘Song of Kwato’.”

Such was the impact of the song that a tobacco firm in Australia actually plagiarised its words and used them to promote its cigarette sales in Fiji.

Baskett reveals: “There is an interesting story about this song.

“A friend of mine was working for a firm in Australia which makes ‘floppy’ discs for gramophones.

“These were made by the thousands and given away as advertisements by various firms.

“One day, I received a phone call from him asking me if I knew that a tobacco firm in Australia was using my song commercially to boost their sales in Fiji.

“It appeared that he was working on the production of several thousands of discs which would be enclosed in a Fijian newspaper.

“The firm had used my tune but altered the words of some of the verses to fit the Fijian scene and my friend had already printed hundreds of the discs before he thought of phoning me.

“The words were also printed on an enclosed brochure extolling the firm’s cigarettes and this was put in every newspaper to make sure people got the message.

“I wasn’t particularly happy with the idea of my song being used to promote tobacco sales – being a non smoker – but as two of the lines said ‘we’ll build Fiji now as God has planned, make this his country, make this his land’, I was very much in favor of that idea spreading through their nation.

“So on that basis, I wrote to the manager of the firm and told him that they should have asked for my permission before printing my song and going ahead with their advertising venture.

“However, as they had already spent a great deal of money on the advertisement, it would be in order for them to proceed.

“The manger answered very apologetically and sent me a cheque for A$100 so that settled that!

“But I always feel that it was more than just conincidence that of the millions of men in Australia, the one who had been given the job of printing the floppy discs should have been a personal friend of mine who knew the tune I had composed.”

“Papua New Guinea” was composed when Baskett was working with the Department of Information.

He recalls that the director called him up one day and said that the team going to the South Pacific Games was looking for an anthem to sing, and as at that time PNG did not have a national anthem, could he do something about it for them?

“I had always enjoyed a tune which is very widely known around Port Moresby ‘Papua e, oi natumu ahaodia…’ and I thought of using this and putting new words in English to make it suitable for the occasion,” Baskett writes in Islands and Mountains.

“As the song was always sung in Motu, it was not widely known throughout the country and I thought it would be a good chance to teach others this most-attractive melody.

“Later, it was written out for the Police Band, and in time the tune was known nationwide.

“When there was a competition for a new National Anthem, this song was proposed by many people, but one that was written by the bandmaster at that time ‘Arise All You Sons’ was chose and is now the PNG National Anthem.

“Papua New Guinea” has become a popular national song and is often heard on the radio.

“The same song was sung by a group of students during a visit by Sir Paul Hasluck, who later became Governor-General of Australia,” Baskett recalls.

“After listening to the song, which speaks to us about uniting to build our nation, Sir Paul said, ‘well there is no need to make my speech now, you have sung all that I planned to say out!’”

Also at the time of independence, Baskett entered a song, which won first prize in the solo section, although he did not sing the solo.

Entitled ‘We Are Free’, it is now played on the radio each year during Independence Day broadcasts.

“So, as I said, I think there is more value in composing a song that is known to many thousands of people than in writing a book that is read by relatively few,” Baskett says.

Islands and Mountains

Islands and mountains, and sunshine and breeze,

Flowers and moonlight, swaying palm trees,

Jungles and rivers, white coral sand,

This is my country, this is my land.

Dark were the days when men lived in fear,

Fear of the arrow, stone club and spear,

Fighting and hatred filled every land,

That was my country, that was my land

Then came the change that brought peaceful days,

News of our Saviour, learning his ways,

Darkness is fading out of our land,

We know the peace of His guiding hand.

What of the future? Soon we shall be,

Teachers and leaders of our country,

We’ll build our nation as God had planned,

Make this His country, make this His land.

Then shall our country be free and strong,

Homes will be filled with laughter and song,

Peace in our hearts and work for our hands,

Unite our nation with other lands,

Unite our nation with other lands.

We Are Free

Like the birds as they fly over high mountains,

Like the fish as they swim in the sea,

Like the clouds as they float in the clear blue sky,

We are free! We are free! We are free!

Like the songs of a bird at the break of day,

Like the wind in the leaves of a tree,

Like the waves as they break on a coral shore,

We are free! We are free! We are free!

Independence has come, now we all must work

To unite Papua New Guinea,

We shall build our new nation in peace and love,

We are free! We are free! We are free!

We are free! We are free! We are free!

Thomas Shacklady – composer of Papua New Guinea’s National Anthem

By MALUM NALU

 

As Papua New Guinea celebrates 36 years of Independence tomorrow, and as we all join hands to "sing of our joy to be free", spare a thought for the man who composed our National Anthem.

His name is Thomas Shacklady, who died of a stroke early Wednesday, January 25, 2006, in his home in Sydney, Australia at the age of 88.

He is remembered by many Papua New Guineans as the legendary bandmaster of the great Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Band from 1964 to 1982.

"His name is embedded in Papua New Guinea's history," said founding Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

"He will be remembered with pride for a very long time - as long as every school child stands in the morning assembly to sing the national song, or as long as our national sporting heroes stand tall at a podium."

The RPNGC Band gained international acclaim under Shacklady's leadership and toured many countries including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South East Asia, other Pacific Islands, and in 1970, the Edinburgh Tattoo in Scotland.

But it is through the words of the Papua New Guinea National Anthem that Shacklady has been immortalised.

Shacklady was a World War 11 hero who fought with distinction for the British Royal Marines.

For his war service he received the 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal and War Service Medal.

Like thousands of others being discharged from the forces, Shacklady found that work was not easy to find and had several jobs over the next three years; night-watchman, butler, and working as a freelance musician.

He ran and worked with several private dance bands, while playing bass trombone with the BBC's Scottish Orchestra.

It was a couple of years after this while in London that Shacklady saw an ad in a newspaper calling for volunteers for the Australian Defence Forces and on September 21, 1951, he enlisted in the Australian Army.

The family took passage aboard the RMS Asturius sailing from Southampton on December 1 for Melbourne, Victoria.

On arrival at Melbourne they spent four or five days being processed before being sent by train to Adelaide in South Australia where Shacklady joined the Kensington Central Command Band based at the Inverbrakie Camp, Woodside.

Over the next six years Shacklady trained three bands a year from the National Service intakes.

In 1953 he was promoted Corporal and added the EIIR Coronation Medal to his awards.

In early 1955 he was raised to the rank of Sergeant, and was awarded the British Empire Medal for his service to the formation of NS bands.

In 1957, Shacklady was transferred to the Papua New Guinea Army band based at Port Moresby and was promoted to Warrant rank.

He returned to Australia in 1959 and for the next five years was Bandmaster of the Enogerra Base, Army band, in Brisbane.

He also took on the unenviable task of managing the base's swimming pool.

He was discharged from the Australian Army on March 6, 1964, and on the 14th, commissioned into the Papua New Guinea Constabulary as Bandmaster with the rank of Inspector.

One of Shacklady's fondest memories occurred at the Mount Hagen Show in 1965, an annual event involving the gathering of tens of thousands of New Guinea's tribesmen in the highland township.

The event was officially opened by the Earl Mountbatten of Burma who was reported in the press as being highly surprised and delighted that the Band of the Papua New Guinea Police, in one of the most primitive and remote locations on Earth, was playing the Earl's personal march, the Preobrajenski.

The official procedures were halted whilst the Earl walked over to the Band to congratulate Shacklady and comment that he had correctly assumed that the Bandmaster must be an ex Royal Marine.

The RPNGC Band gained considerable recognition under Shacklady's direction, touring many countries from 1967 to 1975 including Australia on several occasions, New Zealand, the United States, South East Asia, other Pacific Islands and in 1970, the Edinburgh Tattoo in Scotland.

In April 1970, he was transferred to general police duties at Rabaul on East New Britain for a year and then returned to Kila where he remained as Bandmaster until 1975.

This was the year that PNG was granted independence from Australian administration and was to be the highlight of Shacklady's career.

With Independence, Shacklady was promoted to Chief Inspector and Bandmaster and as such was responsible for transferring the Band to a new training establishment at Bomana, while the new independent nation of Papua New Guinea adopted "Arise All Ye Sons of the Land", composed by Shacklady, as its National Anthem.

The national song calling the sons (and daughters) of Papua New Guinea to arise and to "sing of our joy to be free" was adopted by the Constituent Assembly to be sung on Independence Day.

Unlike the National Flag and Emblem which were adopted four years earlier, the National Anthem was not decided until just a week before Independence Day.

It was even mooted that there would be no national song until after Independence, even though this song and others had been submitted in a nationwide competition well ahead of Independence Day.

The National Executive Council decided only on September 10, 1975, to adopt the song whose words and music were composed by Chief Inspector Thomas Shacklady, the then bandmaster of the ever-popular Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Band.

The words are:

 

O arise all you sons of this land

Let us sing of our joy to be free

Praising God and rejoicing to bee

Papua New Guinea

 

Shout our name from the mountains to sea

Papua New Guinea

Let us raise our voices and proclaim

Papua New Guinea

 

Now give thanks to the good Lord above

For His kindness, His wisdom and love

For this land of our fathers so free

Papua New Guinea

 

Shout again for the whole world to hear

Papua New Guinea

We're Independent and we're free

Papua New Guinea

 

On June 11, 1977, for his services to PNG he was invested a Member of the British Empire (MBE), and received the PNG Police Service Medal and PNG Independence Medal to add to his other decorations.

1978 saw him promoted to Superintendent and Director of Music RPNGC.

In 1979, Shacklady purchased some $A5.00 tickets in an Art Union (raffle) run by the Mater hospital in Brisbane, the grand prize being a fully furnished luxury home.

The winner of the 1979 home in the brand new suburb of Springwood was one Superintendent Thomas Shacklady BEM MBE!

1980 saw Shacklady promoted to Chief Superintendent, Director of Music RPNGC, the position he held until 1982 when he retired from the police, returned to Brisbane and settled in his prize home at Springwood with his family.

Three years later they sold the home at Springwood and moved to an ocean side home at Redland Bay.

Sadly, in September 1985, Danae, his wife for 48 years, quietly passed away at their bayside home.

With both his sons married and fled the nest, Tom sold the family home in 1991 and purchased the small but comfortable unit in the Forest Place retirement village at Durack, a southern suburb of Brisbane, where he now lives.

A long time member of the RMA Queensland, Tom could no longer attend meetings and take part in the social life of the association but was kept informed of its activities by their monthly journal and visits by another old member, Roy Leaney, who lived close by.

He received regular visits from his son Paul, with his three children Zoe, Katie and Suzie, when he visited Brisbane, and from Noel and his two children, David and Justine, who also live in Brisbane.

Somare fights removal

By JULIA DAIA BORE

SIR Michael Somare is challenging in court his removal as the member for the East Sepik provincial seat by Speaker Jeffery Nape last Tuesday, The National reports.
Lawyers for Sir Michael filed the court documents on Monday. The National Court had scheduled the hearing of the case tomorrow.
Sir Michael had named Nape as the first defendant, clerk of parliament Don Pandan as second defendant and Prime Minister Peter O'Neill as the third defendant.
Sir Michael, in a notice of motion filed in the court re­gistry, had asked the court to grant the following orders that, until the trial of this proceeding or further earlier order:
lThe speaker and the clerk of parliament be restrained by an injunction, on themselves or their servants or agents jointly and severally, from seeking to implement or otherwise give effect to the pronouncements of the speaker (last Tuesday) which disqualified Sir Michael as an MP for East Sepik provincial seat.
This is pursuant to section 104(2)(d) of the Constitution, which Sir Michael argued was null and void and of no legal effect or consequences whatsoever; and
l The speaker and the clerk of parliament themselves, or their agents and servants jointly and severally, be restrained from executing any document or procuring the doing of anything which would, or alternatively, would have the effect of, preventing Sir Michael from taking his seat in parliament as the sitting MP for East Sepik .
Sir Michael was also seeking to prevent Nape and Pandan from stopping him from attending future parliament sessions pending the court proceedings and its final outcome.
Sir Michael, represented by lawyer Posman Kua Aisi, seeks the court to declare that:
.He was granted leave of absence by the parliament for the duration of the May meeting of parliament on the ground of his then ill-health;
.He did not absent himself for three consecutive meetings of parliament; and
.He remained the East member for the East Sepik provincial seat.

Somare sets a date with destiny

Caption: Cabinet members in Wewak in January 1975: From left are Julius Chan, John Poe, Iambakey Okuk, Sir Albert Maori Kiki, Ebia Olewale, Gavera Rea, Kaibelt Diria, Michael Somare, Reuben Taureka, John Guise, Sir Paul Lapun, Boyamo Sali, and Thomas Kavali.

By MALUM NALU

Chief Minister Michael Somare's first target date for Papua New Guinea independence had been December 1974.

But half way through 1975 and still no decision had been made.

At one stage Somare had hoped to fix independence for April 19, 1975, to coincide with the anniversary of the formation of the first elected coalition government in 1972, but for some reason many members argued that no date could be set until the organic law and related legislation had been passed.

Nevertheless, the government still managed to commemorate the anniversary, for April 19 became Kina Day, the day when Papua New Guinea's own currency was first introduced to the people.

Writing in his autobiography Sana: "Frustration at the delay in settling the independence date grew, and many people were beginning to say that independence wouldn't happen in 1975!

"Even the press began to play with it that way.

"One headline read:' 'Somare angry – I Day in danger…An independence date in September may have to be ruled out."

April and May 1975 were difficult months for Somare with demonstrations by university students against his decision to have the queen as titular head of state, as well as the National Pressure Group accusing him of trying to push the constitution through with undue haste.

On top of this, Somare had the Bouganville issue on his hands.

"Leo Hannett, whom I once appointed as my personal advisor on Bouganville affairs had started abusing me publicly on the radio and in the press for not listening to the wishes of the Bouganvilleans and their provincial government," he wrote in Sana.

"He forgot that I had been personally responsible for introducing the legislation that brought Bouganville's provincial government into being.

"Father John Momis, the regional member for Bouganville and deputy chairman of the Constitutional Planning Committee, had always preached national unity, but now he began to join with Hannett.

"John Kaputin, the member for Rabaul, had also started attacking the government.

"The people encouraging secession were the very people who, in the past, had claimed to be champions of nationalism.

"With all the problems I was facing, I found it difficult to obtain support in the House.

"It was time to work out my tactical moves.

"I asked two of my senior ministers from the Highlands, Thomas Kavali, the member for Jimi Open and minister for lands, and Iambakey Okuk, the member for Chimbu regional and minister for transport and civil aviation, to lobby for Highlands support."

On May 25, 1975, Somare organised a barbeque picnic at 17-Mile outside Port Moresby to gauge feelings of Members of the House of Assembly (MHAs) about independence.

Somare found that the majority of MHAs agreed to rescind the resolution that he moved on July 9, 1974 "that this house resolves that Papua New Guinea do move to independent nation status as soon as practicable after a constitution has been enacted by this house and that any proposed date for independence is to be endorsed by this House".

On Wednesday, June 18, 1975, Somare decided at his breakfast table to test his strength – to determine whether he still had the kind of support he had had in the past.

He recalls that if he were to move the date he would be given a good indication of support.

So he told his cabinet that he was going to prepare the date that day.

The threat of Bouganville secession gave him the ideal opportunity to make a quick move.

The clock was ticking away towards that momentous occasion in PNG history.

The House resumed at 2pm on that day, Wednesday, June 18, 1975.

It dealt with government business until 3.30pm.

At that time, the Speaker called on him and Somare asked leave to make an important statement.

Leave was not granted so he immediately moved to suspend standing orders.

He received the support of 52 members.

Opposition leader Tei Abal tried to amend the motion but was unsuccessful, losing 52-13 when a division was called.

Somare moved that "the House do rescind the motion of 9 July 1974".

He then introduced that most-important and historic motion setting the date for independence.

Somare told the House of Assembly: "Mr Speaker, the time has come to make a firm decision on the date for independence.

"Our people everywhere are waiting for us to make up our minds, to take the initiative, to show we are not weak and indecisive.

"We are the nation's leaders.

"The time has come to lead.

"We have put this off for too long.

"Let us act now.

"I have said this many times and I say it again: 'Independence will bring strength and stability and unity'.

"Some could not believe me and said 'giaman'.

"Now we all see the truth because of these events.

"When things happen that threaten our stability, when emergencies affect the well-being of our people, we must act and act quickly.

"That strength and authority will come when we are a truly independent nation.

"There are many things to be done and preparations made.

"Many nations or their representatives will be coming to join us at Independence Day celebrations.

"These important visitors must make their plans and preparations months in advance.

"It is very important we let them know as soon as possible.

"I am asking every member of the house to support me so that we can join together to decide on this date and make this day of independence a time that will bring us all great rejoicing – a day that our children and their children will always remember."

Somare's motion calling for independence on September 16, 1975, was debated and adopted by the House on the voices.

It took exactly 45 minutes!

John Kaputin and Josephine Abaijah, who had screamed about independence, walked out of the chamber before it was put to the vote.

Father Momis was not there to vote.

Somare reflects: "It took me months to get the self-government date of December 1, 1973, passed by the House of Assembly but only 45 minutes to set the date for Papua New Guinea's independence.

"It was one of the happiest days of my life.

"With some of my colleagues, I had labored for three years to effect the constitutional changes necessary to bring Papua New Guinea to nationhood.

"When I decided to go into politics in early 1967, the one purpose I had in mind was to be instrumental in bringing the country to self-government and eventual independence.

"An Australian minister for external territories, CE Barnes, said in 1968 that it would be 50 years before Papua New Guinea became independent.

"At a Pangu Pati convention rally in 1971, I said it was my aim to bring Papua New Guinea to independence during my term in parliament.

"I am happy that in the face of Barnes' gloomy prediction, it took me just seven years to achieve my aim."