Prime Minister and PANGU Pati Leader James Marape accompanied Australian Prime Minister and Labor Party Leader, Anthony Albanese to visit the burial site of Late Grand Chief Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.
PM Albanese was welcomed by Late Sir Michael’s family including his grandchildren. A traditional cleansing ceremony was conducted by the Chiefs of Kreer Village who are traditional landowners in Wewak. A coconut was split in two and its juice poured over the ground on which the visitors also planted a coconut to signify his visit and then signed the Visitors' Book.
It was also special in that at the time of Independence in 1975, the Australian Labor Party, led by the late Gough Whitlam, was in Government in Australia, and PANGU Pati was led by late Sir Michael when it formed government.
“It was Gough Whitlam, and the late ‘Father of Our Nation’, in the 1970s, who saw what many didn’t see: The need for this country to move on and to grow side-by-side.
“I’m happy that we live under their shadows. On my side, I cannot outgrow the late Grand Chief, he is bigger than any one of us now and into the future,” said Mr Marape.
“I want to sincerely appreciate that you (PM Albanese) have taken time to come all the way to Wewak and pay respect to him in rest.”
This was the first visit by an Australian Prime Minister to PNG since Marape's ascension to the Office of Prime Minister on May 30, 2019.
“Australia and Papua New Guinea have been neighbours since time immemorial. There was no greater figure in the past (in PNG), or will be into the future, than late Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare,” PM Marape said.
“He is timeless in as far as Papua New Guinea is concerned, and the fact that he is timeless, allows us to still come and pay respect to him in rest.
“In that context, I appreciate my good friend and brother, Anthony Albanese, who in your busyness could have just ignored this and passed it by.
Marape said this bond will not be easily broken.