PNG Community celebrates independence in style.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO  

THE Papua New Guinea Community here in Honiara came out in their colourful costumes over the weekend to commemorate their country’s 47^th Independence celebrations.

The event, an annual one in the calendar was attended by hundreds of Papua New Guineans living and working here in the Solomon Islands.

Speaking at the celebration, High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands and guest speaker, Moses Kaul thanked all individuals who have taken time out to celebrate their 47^th independence anniversary.

“Congratulations PNG for coming a long way since independence in 1975 from Australia over 47 years ago today. I pay homage to the founding leaders for guiding PNG as a nation through the challenges to realize the dream of a sovereign nation, we proudly call PNG.

“The 47 years of nationhood signifies the resilience of our unity as one people and one nation against the backdrop of diverse cultural and language differences.

“PNG remains a strongly unified country blessed with an abundance of natural resources and unique in its sovereignty,” Kaul said.

He said PNG emerged as a vibrant democracy which attests to the attributes of strong patriotism and unification in diversity.

Kaul stressed that the people of PNG declared themselves as one people with common identity and shall remain so and stronger as ever. As they celebrate this milestone of independence, they stand side by side and hand in hand of a thousand tribes.

“The 47 years of independence is a period of transition into maturity and to determine her own destiny. In three years, we will celebrate the silver Jubilee as a nation so the people of PNG are to be visionary and stay the course to advance in history.

“Today we celebrate 47 years of independence as a grand occasion to reflect on nation building and to navigate the way forward into the future,” he said.

One of the many members of the Solomon Islands PNG Community in Honiara Gillian Tahilua Nasala thanked members of the community for team work and collaboration in making the event a successful one.

“We the senior members of the association are so happy for all of you to come join us and mark PNGs 47^th independence anniversary,” Nasala said.

The celebration was held at SMI, Honiara.