The "Introduction" of "The PNG APEC Story: With a prayer and a plan" (Coming soon)

 

Honiara, Solomon Islands, July 2012.  I led the PNG delegation to one of the FFA meetings in my capacity as the Acting Director-General, Economic Development Cooperation Division, of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  It was another stifling day in the equatorial heat of the Pacific islands.  However, atop the hill, overlooking the sprawling urban centre of the Solomon Islands, I was seated amidst technical experts from the Forum Island countries in a meeting that was as informal as could be in the Pacific.  The main topic of discussion: fish, and the particular type of fish: Tuna.  I thought that the idyllic setting of this Pacific island paradise would provide me the perfect launch-pad to determine the next course of my life’s journey. 

 

What I got myself into, by the grace of God.

People often ask me when it was that I made up my mind to go up against the grain, to do something that was seen as outright impossible to achieve.  Well, there was no exact moment, but the impending return from diplomatic posting of some very senior officers, and the plight of my vision-impaired little son, which became my foremost priority from the very moment he was diagnosed with this disability, pushed me in the opposite direction.  The fact that two very senior officers from the Department of PMNEC, with the concurrence of the Chief Secretary, had gone all the way to the very top to obtain the Prime Minister’s blessings to appoint me as the head of the soon-to-be-formed PNG APEC secretariat, was also not lost upon me.  I saw this as a vote of confidence from qualified persons outside the safety zone of the PNG Foreign Service machinery.

 

In Honiara, the uppermost thing on my mind was the fact that I wanted to soar on my own, and fly in the direction I wanted.  To stay on in a somewhat very conservative government organization, still determined on living in its past glories, was not my intention.  After all, I, and others like me, had had no part in those achievements.  I also sensed the determination in my ever-cautious superior officers not to muddy the clear waters they enjoyed splashing about in (or maybe they saw me as unqualified to handle such a highly sensitive, and very high profile, national foreign policy undertaking, which they themselves had already qualified as impossibly unattainable).  I returned from Honiara that day, ready to pack up and move up the road to the seemingly hallowed grounds of Morauta House.

 

So, exactly two days after my return from Honiara, I left DFA, quietly and without any fanfare, after a solid nineteen years, and five months of dedicated service, which included a very enriching diplomatic posting in the Middle Kingdom.   One member of the Senior Management team made a half-hearted attempt to dissuade my intentions, assuring me that another diplomatic posting in the very near future would guarantee solutions to my ongoing work and family concerns.  I respectfully declined his offer, but thanked him nevertheless, for his consideration.  I needed to do this, I told him.  He smiled and wished me luck.

 

It was pure instinct, and the ever-present hand of the almighty God, that drove me out of this safety zone, into the unknown world of strategic management and planning, and high-end multilateral diplomacy.  This was combined with my determination to make something different out of the scenario, and foregone conclusion, which my highly experienced and decorated Foreign Service colleagues were already singing into my inexperienced ears; because it was me, and not them, who was continuously on the receiving end of the “free-riding” intimations.

 

I do not regard myself as overly ambitious.  I know that people would say that I must be, otherwise I would have not commanded Papua New Guinea’s frontline onslaught in the APEC 2018 policy configuration, as its APEC Senior Official.  I don’t believe I am ambitious in a selfish sense.  If I had been, I would have been cautious, and would not have risked my whole career as a budding Foreign Service Officer, just to go barking up a very high and wrong tree.  I was already into my first forages in the middle management of the PNG Foreign Service.  Some would say I had the world by the fingertips.  The last time I looked at my fingertips, they were full of grime, and dust, from the toil, and drudgery, of labouring in an organization, that had no strategic intention in the world.

 

We had been branded “free-riders” in the APEC process.  I was determined to change that perspective.  But was I so confident that I was going to pull off this mammoth task of hosting APEC in the near future?  I certainly was not.  The pecking order above me decreed that I go up the ladder, step by step, to bring this idea into fruition.  Fortunately for me, there were already those, high above, outside this perking order, and unbeknown to me, for whatever their reasons, who supported, and ensured this idea to go ahead.

 

I also knew for sure, that God had my back; and that if He was exposing me out there against this seemingly impossible task, He had a reason.  Who was I, a mere human, to doubt His blessing and directions in my life?  Of course, my actions were not a complete gamble, but I knew it was a very risky undertaking after been employed in this one organization straight out of school.  Some of my mates in the Foreign Service, upon hearing about my move, looked at me as if I was going to the moon.

 

It was all unknown territory for me from here on.  Daera and I had discussed this and she had encouraged me to take on this challenge.  This was after we had expended whatever little savings we had put away for the kids’ school fees after we returned from China, so that I could enrol myself in the UPNG pilot Masters in Strategic Management program that had come on stream in 2009. 

Daera and I at the SOM3 welcome reception held at the Helifix Hanger, Jackson's International Airport in August, 2018.  Daera was attending her first-ever APEC SOM engagement.

So, I embarked on it because hers was the only earthly support I required.  I also remembered thinking, “If this doesn’t go well for me, bugger it, I can leave the public service and go look for something under the sun, because God wills it!”

 

I fronted up at Morauta Haus that morning in August, 2012, and was granted an immediate private audience with the Chief Secretary, the venerable (late) Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc.  We connected immediately after he found out I had grown up at the Defence academy in Lae, in the Morobe province.  The Chief himself was from the Finschaffen district of the same province. 

 

The first thing he asked me that day, in fluent pidgin, after welcoming me to the Department, was, “Ako, can we really do this?” 

I looked him straight in the eyes and responded fluently, in the same vernacular, “If God wills it, it is nothing, Sir. It is already a done deal.  We just have to go through the challenges to reach it!”

“Good”, he concurred, a hint of smile on his face, most probably amused at the fluency of the Pidgin been uttered by this Hanuabadan.  The Chief himself came from missionary stock as well; his parents being Lutheran missionaries.  “Do we have a plan?” He continued in Pidgin.

“Yes, Sir, we do.  We have a 1,077-page Operations Plan.” I nodded confidently back.  “I wrote it back in 2011 out of boredom,” I smiled at him, shyly.

“Ok.  Great!  Get to it then and make it happen for the eight million Papua New Guineans.”

I had passed his impromptu language proficiency test.

 

Chief Secretary, Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, passed away sadly, on 6 March, 2017, due to ill health.  On the evening of that particular historically significant Sunday, 18 November, 2018, as I drove home from Era Kone, APEC PNG 2018, all done and dusted, and now a memory, my thoughts went back to this majestic, and humble man, and I shed a few tears in his memory, in the quietness of the car, looking out over the horizon at the setting sun in the Fairfax harbour.  He had allowed me free rein in the implementation of my Operations Plan.  This very action had laid the foundation of success in the policy area that followed soon after.  APEC’s policy process, guides its hosting year.  Logistics, and security arrangement, are a very small, but equally crucial part, of this process.  But both are irrelevant without the policy process.

 

APEC 2018 was the pinnacle of my career in the public service.  Being of the restless kind, I started looking for other mountains to climb and conquer when General George Custer’s quote directly in mind: “You ask me if I will not be glad when the last battle is fought, as the country is concern, I, of course, must wish for peace, and will be glad when the war is ended; but if I answer for myself, I must say that I shall regret to see the war end.”  From this vintage point, it laid the foundations with the appropriate tools upon which I would build another family-enriching career in the private sector. 

 

I’d taken a big gamble, based on my steadfast trust and belief in God, and got away with it.  As Stephen E. Ambrose (1990) said, “Someone had to give the bureaucracies directions; someone had to be able to call in all the information they gathered; make sense out of it, and impose order on it; someone had to make certain that each part meshed into the whole; someone had to decide; someone had to take responsibility and act . . .” I unwittingly, became that someone.

 

Me and Dr Alan Bollard, then Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat in Singapore.

Looking back, APEC 2018 was Papua New Guinea’s finest hour in the foreign policy dominion; and I was sitting in that plane as First Officer, and Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu, the captain.  Yes, towards the end, it was indeed, ambitious to think that little PNG could referee the US and the Chinese, in their trade war, by “the rules” of the APEC game.  We found out the hard way that year, and to the ordinary eyes of the world, lost. 

 

After the successful completion of the 24th MRT. From left, Fredrik Tamarua (DJAG), Rensi Panda (Climate Change Authority), Richard Yakam (National Trade Office), me, and Eileen Aitsi (PNG APEC Secretariat)

However, my God is such an awesome God; He doesn’t forsake those who call upon Him for help, nor, those whom He has earmarked to carry out activities He Himself has ordained for success.  As such, my triumph would come the following year where, exactly 78 years to the day, when little yellow men from the Land of the Rising sun surprised the might of the US at Pearl, so too would little black men from the Land of the Unexpected, surprise and hold the seven developed, and thirteen developing member economies of APEC, to account, if only to safeguard and maintain the integrity and honesty of the APEC process, and thereby, bring its APEC 2018 host year to a fruitful close - all these to the rousing applause of the ancestors whose pride had been dented during that melee on Sunday, 18 November, 2018, and most of all to the nameless ones of Oakley, whose hopes I carried that fateful Saturday afternoon at the Heng Mui Keng Terrace.

 

I have always enjoyed risk taking, especially in the sense of thinking on my feet, and having to trust my God-given instincts under pressure.  For this, I have never for once, stopped thanking the God of hosts, for endowing me with the knowledge of thinking out and processing problems, and coming up with handful of solutions, as well as the practicability of planning out the activities towards achieving these objectives.  My cup has never stopped overflowing in this regard.  That was, and continues to be, the only blessing I have, and will continue to crave from my God, the Master Strategist, Planner, and Project manager, and in the same token, share and pass on to those willing to accept my free offering of advice and help.

 

Taking the plunge and chairing a meeting during our host year.  This is me chairing the Friends of the Chair on Urbanization.  Ms Marie Eorage-Vele (PNG APEC Secretariat) is the Chair's Assistant.  Seated behind us is Mr James Topo, from MRA.

I believe that my past years of coaching, and managing rugby teams (both codes), be it at the village, or premier grade levels, had prepared me well with the appropriate organisational ability, energy, competitiveness, enthusiasm, and optimism, in addition to the willingness to work hard at a task that was similarly intriguing and fascinating.  I’d like to think that the added bonus to this challenge was the fact that it brought out the best in all members of the teams I led, to work with the materials we had, instead of hoping for what we didn’t have.

 

I have also taken pride in telling it as it is, however unpalatable.  In my role as the Director-General of the PNGAS, and during most instances as the PNG APEC Senior Official for our 2018 host year, this trait sometimes caused tensions with the members of the CAPI, at our regular briefing sessions.  I saw it as my duty to bring in straggling agencies and departments, who were not rowing hard enough, or were just there hoping for others to row for them during the ride, to row together as a team, for Team PNG.  My Game Plan had to be implemented according to its intended purpose, simply because the 8 million people of this great nation of ours deserved it and therefore, relied on its successful implementation, period.  It was not my intention to allow this “ship to sink” just because some of the rowers, who could powerfully row on any given day, had suddenly became lazy.  Fortunately, Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu, that complete epitome of a diplomat, and Chair of the CAPI, always righted these ill-feelings for overall team harmony.

 

Amb. Ivan Pomaleu, OBE, Secretary, Department of Prime Minister & NEC, during the CAPI hand-over, take-over ceremony at the PNG APEC Secretariat, Oakley House, on Wednesday, 14  January, 2021, a few days before my departure from the Public Service.

Ambassador Matt Matthews, the US APEC Senior Official, during his farewell speech at the end of SOM1 in Santiago, Chile, summed up Ambassador Pomaleu’s character very well, when he said, “. . . I can’t imagine how a man who modelled dignity, compassion, and considerateness, better than Ivan . . .” Rightly so, too.  (Ambassador Matthews sadly passed away on Thursday, 21 May, 2020).   

 

Of course, much of the credit of our successful policy undertaking for APEC 2018 lies in the guiding hands of the majestic Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu, who, as SOM Chair of APEC 2018, steered the seven developed, and thirteen developing member economies of APEC, along the intended pathway of our overall theme and policy priorities.  Ambassador Pomaleu was a God-send to the team.  I was happily satisfied to be his battlefield commander.  I also had four courageous lieutenants, all tried and proven in the five years leading up to APEC 2018, who led the three main policy thrusts, composing of teams of hard-hitting officers from right across the public service spectrum whom they had helped me carefully select, and later trained, for this adventure.  Of these, the quietly spoken Rob was the only one I “poached” from another Department, with the full blessing of the Chief.  Ours was a fully competent organization.

 

While this book talks about my coming of age, it is also about those unsung heroes and nameless warriors who ran in the CAPI.  It is about the steadfastness of the young members of the PNGAS, who successfully reined in all the agencies and departments, all zealously guarding their fiefs, under one single objective: to ensure that Papua New Guinea’s policy obligations in APEC bear fruits. 

 

This is also the story about how I fought my way through the quagmire of sometimes outright insults, by certain very senior members of the PNG Foreign Service, and triumphed; about how they thought I was “stepping on their toes” when I advanced Papua New Guinea’s foreign policy aspirations through APEC’s multilateral terrains.  Finally, this story is about how those tasked with managing our foreign policy aspirations, completely missed Papua New Guinea’s biggest ever foreign policy exercise, big time, despite it been conducted right under their very noses, all because, they spent a good deal of their time, trying to second and or outguess my every moves, and to get rid of me from my role as head of the PNG APEC Secretariat, without evening trying to carry out their own tasks, and or to work with me to support this national aspiration.

 

I waged vociferous running battles with certain members of the CAPI, who were determined to advance their claim on the fact that any foreign policy initiative laid in their domain; and rightly so too.  On two occasions, they tried to muzzle me at the highest level, without success; and all throughout the duration of our preparatory years, right up to the end of our APEC hosting, I kept a detailed daily journal, which now forms the bulk of this book.  If only they had countered my policy proposals with alternative policy initiatives, of which I knew they had a very good many, APEC 2018 would have been conducted from its traditional abode.  Of the 139 policy papers: initiatives, presentations, proposals, and reports, contributed by PNG as part of its overall policy engagements during its APEC host year, none sadly came from this particular government organization.

 

In my role as the Director-General of the PNGAS, and later, as the 2018 PNG APEC Senior official, I was privileged to have accompanied the Foreign Minister to all his bilateral engagements on the margins of the MRT, and AMM, between 2013 to 2017, and barring AELM 2017, and 2018, was an integral part of Prime Minister O’Neill’s bilateral engagements in all the other years, except in Lima, Peru in 2016, where I was the PNG Liaison Officer for his delegation.  I was not part of the Foreign Minister’s bilateral team in 2018 simply because I was “honoured” by Ambassador Pomaleu to sit up front with the Chair as the Chair’s Assistant.  This I did during the MRT and AMM, which were chaired by the Foreign Minister.

 

As Chair's Assistant during the 24th MRT.  From far left: Dr Alan Bollard, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat based in Singapore, Ms Jacinta Warakai-Manua (Chair's Assistant, DFAT), myself, and Amb. Ivan Pomaleu, SOM Chair.

Then in November, 2018, on home soil, Ambassador Pomaleu assigned me as Prime Minister O’Neill’s designated “runner”; and I “ran” for PNG, tirelessly, for the duration of the AELM that day; from one APEC Foreign Minister, to the other, with the full blessing of my Prime Minister, seeking consensus and general agreement on paragraphs 9, 16, and 17, of the 29-paragraph APEC Leaders’ Era Kone Declaration.  The trade blowout between the US and China didn’t help.  But I persisted.  While the US eventually agreed to support the consensus, China didn’t budge.  In the end, Prime Minister O’Neill had no choice but to omit those three differing paragraphs from the overall text, and release the Chair’s Era Kone Statement.  Still, a Declaration, without the erring paragraphs would have been another great option, too. 

 

Amb. Ivan Pomaleu, OBE, and I, minutes before the commencement of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting at the APEC Rumana on that fateful Sunday, 18 November, 2018.

But God willed it that way that day.  Because He still had an answer to the prayers of His servants; and the ways of our almighty God remains mysterious to us mere mortals, for all eternity.  Because none of these economies ever foresaw what would eventuate a year later in December, 2019.  If PNG had been allowed a Declaration on 18 November, 2018, PNG would have joined the consensus and allowed this precedence to continue.  Then, what happened at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore that day in December, 2019 would not have happened. 

 

But my God saw it differently.  My God saw the rivers of tears that flowed out of Oakley that fateful afternoon on Sunday, 18 November, 2018 - as the deadline came to pass and I reported to Ambassador Pomaleu, my voice breaking with emotion, that one particular economy continued to maintain its stance outside of the general consensus – and felt pity on us.  What came to pass that fateful day on Saturday, 7 December, 2019 was simply part of God’s overall plans in our respective lives.  Because we had committed APEC PNG 2018 into His hands years earlier, and on Sunday, 25 November, 2018, we gave thanks and celebrated its successful completion with a “Thanks giving Service” at the Poreporena Lahara United Church, atop Metoreia Hill, in Hanuabada village.

 

I have served during a fascinating period of Papua New Guinea’s history.  My career far exceeded the expectations that I held as a young, up and coming Foreign Service officer, who wanted to discover the eagle in him.  As the Director-General of the PNGAS, I had plied my trade from Russia (2012), to Indonesia (2013), then China (2014), the Philippines (2015), Peru (2016), and Vietnam (2017), before returning to the play in front of my own people in 2018.  I had been in the APEC circuit since 2008 through divine intervention, so had had the opportunity to observe how Singapore (2009), Japan (2010), and the US (2011) did their hosts in the lead up to the Russian year, where we got down to the serious business of giving thought to hosting.

 

Above: Budding Foreign Service Officer, Mr Jude Roa during the hand-over, Take-over CAPI meeting on Wednesday, 14 January, 2021.  Below: Jude was Liaison Officer to the PNG APEC Senior Official in 2018.  Here we pose for a picture with the security detail assigned to the PNG APEC Senior Official.

My late dad, retired Reverend Ray Lahui Ako of the United Church of PNG, and one of the first four indigenous chaplains of the PNGDF to take over the chaplaincy from the departing Australian army in 1975, had ongoing health issues in the years leading up to 2018.  In 2018, his health suddenly took a downward spiral as the prostate cancer commenced its final dreadful drive in his life.  But dad held out, his undying faith in his God the mainstay; he held on, with mum’s continuous urging, fearful of disturbing and spoiling the finale of what we, as a family, had been preparing and praying for, these past five year; he held on, with mum ever-present, by him.  Dad was my rock throughout the preparatory years.  His counsel while I fought my running battles were made of gold.  He led me from the back. 

 

On Sunday, 18 November, 2018, from 10 am onwards, as he and mum watched, live on TV, all that was happening at the APEC House, they both held a prayer vigil, when they learnt of the impasse, as I ran valiantly, back and forth, through the US tornado and Chinese typhoon.  When I returned home that night, and slowly walked up the stairs, full of emotions, into the waiting embraces of the womenfolk of my household, dad was resting.  But I knew he was aware of my presence and our collective triumph that day.

 

Dad passed away peacefully at home, in the early hours of Saturday, 8 December, 2018, twenty days after watching all our preparations come to successful fruition and seeing his prayers answered by God.  I was already enroute to Santiago, Chile, for the start of Chile’s APEC host year.  I turned around quickly, and returned, knowing that this particular chapter in my life was nearing its end, while another one got ready to be written. 

 

Exactly a year later, on Sunday, 8 December, 2019, right on the hour and day of his passing, and in the quietness of that Singaporean hotel, I sat down cross-legged on its carpeted floor as Motuan tradition decreed, and as befitting a dutiful Motu-Koitabuan son, began to properly mourn the passing of my father.  As I lamented his passing, I recounted to him what had transpired at the Heng Mui Keng Terrace the previous day, and of how, all that we both had worked hard for in upholding the family’s and tribe’s honour, and the national interest, had finally come to pass, as ordained by God almighty.  His calming presence filled the room that hour.

 

Then, after thoroughly cleansing the past from my being, I left for Langkawi, Malaysia, the very next day, prepared to commence the rebuilding process, and to determine the best possible and suitable pathway PNG could take in its endeavours to ensure that the benefits of the 2018 APEC Leaders’ Chair’s Era Kone Statement could be rolled out throughout the length and  breadth of my country.

 

But it has been all along, my belief in God almighty, who has blessed me richly with the courageous men and women of the PNGAS, the CAPI, the APEC 2018 SOM Chair’s Office, and my APEC colleagues around the APEC Region.  Lifelong friendships have been forged during this journey. 

 

In doing so, I also genuflect and pay homage to the following champions, who, as Papua New Guinea’s APEC Senior Officials in their respective times, right up to 2013, tried valiantly to steer this huge ship without the required and necessary support I enjoyed: Ambassador Max Rai, former PNG ambassador to China, whom I had the honor of serving under during my posting, H.E Veali Vagi, former Foreign Secretary, and Papua New Guinea’s High Commissioner to Malaysia; Mr Leonard Louma, former Acting Secretary for DFAT; H.E Peter Eafeare, former PNG High Commissioner to Fiji, and the Pacific Islands Forum; Mr Elias Wohengu and John Emilio, senior DFAT officials, Mr Frank Aisi, and Dr Henry Ivarature.  They all sat in that Chair and dreamt of what could be.  I only ran the final leg of the journey they had started ever since that day on Blake Island in 1993.  Mine was the shortest of all journeys, compared to what they had to endure.  Many were called, but only a few were chosen.  I remain indebted to you all for this humble experience.

To the Nameless warriors of Oakley House, it has been my humble privilege to have led you on this rollercoaster ride, where I reveled in the fun, laughter, and banter, and thoroughly enjoying our regular lunches at Oakley, where we sat down together, at the same table as a family, irrespective of rank, with you all looking up to me as your elder brother, and me looking at you all with nothing but pride in my heart.  I pay tribute to your overall sense of commitment to the main objective of our job, through thick and thin.  There can be no better feeling than to know that you all had my back, and I yours, during this ride.  This book is dedicated to you all.

Clarence Hoot: Papua New Guinea's first-ever chair of an APEC working group

From left: Shiu Raj (PIF), Clarence Hoot (IEG Convenor), and Ivan Pomaleu (PNG APEC Senior Official) at the Closing Senior Official Meeting in Bali, Indonesia, October, 2013

But Medan will always go down in Papua New Guinea’s APEC history as where little-known PNG surprised all the economies, by stepping fearlessly forward for the vacant position of the IEG Convenor, which had become vacant that day after the chair had stood up from the chair, and walked off, literally, vacating the position.  This, in itself, was an interesting saga.

PNG was represented at IEG2 by Daroa Peter from IPA.  The IEG, due to the agenda items, or lack of them then, usually lasted for not more than two hours.  During coffee break that day, DP, as Daroa is popularly known among his friends, caught up with me somewhere in the vicinity of the building, to report about “an interesting issue” that had suddenly come up during the morning session.”

“Oh? Tell me about it please?” I asked with interest.

“Well, we were all seated to await the Convenor of the IEG to formally open the meeting.  The Convenor, a Japanese official, dutifully opened the meeting but then in the same breath, he surprised the whole lot of us by advising that he was not going to continue acting as Convenor of the IEG; that it was time, some economies shared the workload as well.  Then he just got up abruptly and left the chair, vacant; just like that!”

“Wow!” I exclaimed. “Then what happened next?” I enquired.

“Well, the old man, John Kitchen, from Australia, quickly got the meeting’s consent for Australia to act in the role, while economies decide the next course of actions!”

I started grinning.  DP looked at me, as I grinned, with confusion written all over his face.

“What are you grinning about?” He asked me, with a hint of concern in his voice.

“I think we have our break here.  Lets put Clarence’s name forward as the convenor.” I said.

“Can we? He asked incredulously.  “I thought we needed approval from the Chief Secretary or Cabinet first?”

“Of course, we can. We are a member of APEC, aren’t we?” I smiled back.

Taking into considering the time difference between PNG and Indonesia, I quickly shot an email to Frank Aisi, asking him to see, and if possible, secure, approval from Sir Manasupe, for PNG to put forward Clarence Hoot’s name as its nomination for the vacant position of the IEG Convenor.  The approval came back within the hour.  Armed with the approval, I returned back to the IEG plenary room, this time, accompanied by John Maigu.  Sidling up behind DP, I tapped him on the shoulders.

“Chief Secretary Zurenuoc has agreed for PNG to put forward Clarence Hoot’s name as a nominee for the vacant convenor’s position.  Please put up the nameplate and inform the meeting” I told him.

“But CH hasn’t been informed yet,” DP shot back.

“Don’t worry about that.  I have just informed him a while ago.  But he thinks that our nomination wont get the endorsement of the members, so he has dared us by agreeing.”  I told him with a hint of finality.  “Please raise the nameplate when the agenda comes to AOB and inform the meeting that PNG is formally putting its nominee forward.” I asked again, but this time, with some firmness in my voice.

Ever since becoming a member of APEC in 1993, PNG has never held the chairmanship of any APEC fora or sub-fora.  The OPPLAN2018, besides scheduling the convening of APEC meetings as part of our test-runs for APEC 2018, also included the chairing of actual meetings, because that was what hosting an APEC year entailed for the host: the host chaired meetings.  We needed to build confidence in that area, if only to secure the support from economies by showing our ability to chair meetings as well.  I knew it was always going to be a hard ask convincing economies to endorse our undertaking to host APEC in 2018.  Sure enough, this issue was raised by our Australian colleague the very next day.

The following day, I was having a quiet cup of coffee in one of the numerous lounge areas which our Indonesian host had graciously provided for all delegates.  As I stood there, pondering the next course of action, in the event my original plan didn’t work, the acting convenor rocked up to me.

“Good morning,” He said, and introduced himself.

I responded likewise, and in the same motion, offering him space at the high table.

“Listen,” he commenced without so much as a preamble.  “I thought that, as a good friend, and close neighbour, you should get this from me first: There are a number of economies, including ours, who feel that you are not ready to chair any APEC fora at the moment.”

“What? What do you mean?” I asked him back, bewildered and confused.

“Well, let me put it this way: we feel that a baby needs to learn to crawl first, before it can walk!”  He told me, straight up.

I paused to collect myself from this insult. “Sir, we are going to host APEC in five years time.  To do so, we need to learn also, how to chair meetings.  The person we are nominating is suitably qualified for this role.  Do you also mean to say that we are not ready to host?  I am truly surprised, and in fact, disappointed, that you, of all people, feel that way.  Prime Minister Gillard didn’t think so when my leader met her on the margins of the AELM last year.  Are you sure this is your national position, or yours personally?” I asked him quietly.

“Well, that’s how we feel.  It would be best to withdraw your nomination.  Because if you continue, you might fall, and it would be such a great fall which you will not be able to recover from?”  He continued, undeterred with a sly smile.

I had had enough.  I was not going to stand meekly by, and allow this old man to hurl insults, one after the other, at me.  “Listen, old man.” This got his attention.  “You are starting to piss me off. I think you should walk away now,” I told him quietly with venom in my voice, at the same time trying to scare him off.

But this old man was one tough cookie.  He didn’t budge, but shot back quickly: “You want to make something out of this, huh?  May I remind you that I was captain of the Australian Schoolboys rugby tour to South Africa and I was sent off for fighting,” He threatened back.

Not to be outdone, I shot back: “Well, I didn’t break my front tooth playing netball,” I warned him.  I was not going to sacrifice the implementation of the OPPLAN2018 just because one taubada was telling me I couldn’t.

Before we could suggest a venue for this show-down, I heard John Maigu suddenly yelled out my name from afar.  The both of us looked his way only to see him quickly approaching us, with a smile on his face, brandishing a letter.  Without realising the very tensed situation he was walking into, or rather, abating, with his presence, he jovially greeted the old Australian, and then excused himself and gave me the document.  It was the formal letter from Sir Manasupe, addressed to me, authorising me to formally put Clarence’s name forward.  After reading the contents, I suddenly held the letter right next to the old man’s face, much to the bewilderment of a surprised John Maigu, and told him, with finality: “No bloody way, we are putting his name forward.” Then beckoning to John Maigu, we both stormed off, leaving him fuming in our wake.

I went to the Common Delegation Room, to await my 1pm meeting with Heather Grell from the US-TATF.  In the quietness of the room, I beseeched God for advice and inspiration.  “Please God, show me a sign that I am on the right and correct path.  You are leading us on this great national endeavour, please don’t let others deter us from this noble undertaking, if it is truly thy will.” I begged him.  As soon as I said, “Amen” Heather was slowly making her way towards me.

“Hi Lahui. Whats with the long face?” she greeted me in her usual exuberant manner.

I told her what had just transpired earlier.

“Take it!” She told me.

“I beg your pardon?” I asked.

“Take it. That’s the only way economies will believe that PNG is capable of hosting an APEC year.” She said with finality.

I quickly mumbled a thank you to the One Most High for answering my prayers within seconds of saying Amen.  He had sent an angel to deliver me His answer to my prayers.  The both of us then commenced discussing the next US-TATF Capacity building workshop on APEC, in Port Moresby, which we both agreed to schedule to sometimes in November.

That evening, I rang Clarence to inform him of the progress.  He told me that he had reservations on his own ability to chair such a meeting at this international level.  He also reminded me of the fact that I was a referee in his application for a job at the Forum Fisheries Agency in Honiara, Solomon Islands.  I told him bluntly that he wont be considered for that job because I had prayed for his convenorship of the IEG and my prayers had been answered.

Clarence Hoot was appointed as the new Convenor of the IEG that CSOM in October, 2013.  But this didn’t deter those economies who didn’t believe in our capabilities, from going ahead and securing consensus for this position to be co-convened by two economies. So, Chile became one of the other

co-Convenor of the IEG.  I took this as another subtle insult by certain economies to provide an alternative Convenor in the event “those Johnny-come-latelies” collapsed in their attempt to punch above their weight.  All these were reported to Ivan when he arrived later on in the week for his SOM plenary sessions.

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(This excerpt is part of Chapter 12 in my upcoming book titled, "Running on Faith: the PNG APEC Story"

The significance of 6 February in the calendar of the United Church of Papua New Guinea and why it is important to commemorate it

Every 6 February, since 1988, the United Church of Papua New Guinea celebrates its Children Day.  At the Poreporena Lahara United Church, this day is celebrated on the second Sunday of February because the first Sunday of every month is always reserved for the “Anibou” (Holy Communion).
 

But why is this day - 6 February – so important that it warrants a place in the annual calendar of the Church? 

It was on 6 February, 1987, while Reverend Misian and his wife, Marama Helen Misian, were travelling up to the township of Ramu to take up their first missionary posting that they lost their daughters to the seas after a plane crash.  In memory of the tragic deaths of these two beautiful souls, the United Church decreed for this day to be celebrated every year, to commemorate their passing, as well as to strengthen and consolidate our faith in God almighty, against the adversities of the world.

Norah Misian and Shaol Misian were both seven and 18 months old, respectively, when they lost their lives in the service of the United Church of Papua New Guinea.

The family, together with seventeen others, were on a Talair Embraer MB 110P2 registration P2-RDM flight which ditched into the sea in very poor weather short of Hoskins airport from Rabaul.  Only three of the seventeen survived.[1]

Reverend Mision had just graduated the previous year from the United Church’s Rarongo Theological College in the East New Britain Province.  He was now on his way to assume his first-ever posting as an United Church minister of religion on that fateful flight.

It was related to the congregation by the coordinator of the Lahara United Church Children and Youth Ministry (CYM), that as soon as the plane crashed into the sea, the roof immediate broke away exposing the passengers to the elements.  Marama Helen Misian, in fear of going down with the plane quickly threw her 18-month old daughter out the plane.  It is said that the poor baby died on impact.  Reverend Misian also did the same for his elder child, hoping that she would float while he and the Marama made their way out.  But alas! Norah got pulled away by the raging tide and was lost to the sea.

The good Reverend himself was also in the same dilemma: his seatbelt was stuck and he struggled to loosen it while the plane sank.  Just as he was on his final breath, the seatbelt came loose; quickly breaking away from the seat, he kicked himself up to the surface.  Marama was already some meters from where the plane had gone down, frantically looking out for her children.

The story goes that quickly swimming up to his wife in the raging seas, the reverend touched her and beckoned her to leave their children to the sea and swim for safety.  After battling the seas for a couple more hours or so, they were both now very exhausted and on the verge of giving up.  But they continued to urge and encourage themselves on; In their minds, they were both alive because God had a plan for them.  They swam on. 

Suddenly, the Reverend’s feet touched a rock.  Imagine a rock out in open sea!  Unbelievable!  But God was there.  Quickly calling out to his wife, he urged her to swim towards him.  The time was 09:30 in the morning.  They both stood on the rock, far out at sea, with no land in sight, and rested their tired and weary bodies, while tears streamed down their eyes when they remembered their children.  As they rested, they offered a prayer of Thanksgiving to God.  They prayed for the souls of their two children, and they thanked God for their brief lives with them; and then they prayed for God’s strength for the final push toward safety.

These two soldiers of God were “Walking the Talk”: As Christians, one must always praise God under all circumstances; because God is the maker of everything.  Who are we to question His actions in our lives?

After they whispered “amen”, they hugged for strength and comfort, not knowing whether or not they would both make it to safety but for their faith in God.  Then they left their brief sanctuary, and swam on. 

The CYM coordinator related that from that rock, the Reverend and Marama swam and battled the seas for another five hours!  What was five hours when God had given them strength on the rock far out at sea, to swim.  They swam.

Finally, they swam into the safety of Galoale beach.  Galoale village is a few kilometres from Hoskins station.  In fact, it is two or three villages away from the station.  The kind people on Galoale quickly saved them from the sea and brought them to the nearby Catholic Health Centre for treatment. 

Reverend Misian and his wife, Marama Helen Misian, are the true epitome of United Church missionaries who, since the arrival of the Southseas missionaries in the 1870s, have trudged on, with only their God-given faith, to bring the gospel to the corners of the world, or in our case, throughout the United Church areas in PNG. 

True to his calling, a mere month after the tragic incident, Reverend Misian and his faithful wife, Helen, left for their station in Ramu to take up their post.  His faith, love, and Devotion for the Maker surpassed everything else in the world.  While they both mourned the passing of their children, they rested assured that their souls were with the Lord.  So, they went forth to Ramu, and beyond, to do their Christian duties.

As I write this tragic story of Love and Devotion, Faith, Perseverance and Praise for God under all circumstance, I am reminded of another similar story, that of a prominent lawyer in Chicago, USA, named Horatio Gates Spafford. 

After the death of his four-year-old in 1871, from Scarlet fever, Spafford decided his family should take a holiday somewhere in Europe.  He chose England for this holiday.  Because of his business, he sent his wife and four daughters ahead across the Atlantic on the steamship “Ville du Havres”.  Their ship was tragically struck by an iron sailing ship, and 226 people lost their lives, including all four of Spafford’s daughters.  Only his wife, Anna Spafford survived this tragedy.  According to Bertha Spafford Vester, a daughter born after the tragedy, Spafford wrote the song “It is well with my soul” on this journey.[2]

What is it that make these men of God tick against all odds?  Is it faith? Conviction?

At the other extreme, what about those others, who, when faced with such extreme tragedies and misfortunes, had quickly opted for the safety of their own village and locales; leaving their flocks unattended?  

My father, the late Reverend Ray LAHUI-AKO was one such men of God.  In 1976, when I was seven going onto eight, the United Church sent him and my mother to the Siwai area of mainland Bougainville (now Autonomous Region of Bougainville) to do his practical as a student missionary. 

If there were other viable options in the urban centres, why did dad chose this remote part of the country to do his practical?

We arrived into Hurai from the Tonu mission station after a couple of nights with Rev Joseph Duvuloco, and were lodged into a run-down house of one of the teachers at the Kunu Community School, who had since left.  I call it run-down because one side of the house was practically falling down so had to be propped up with a couple of hastily cut branches to allow the incoming “redskinned” student pastor, his wife, and two boys, to stay dry during the rains.

Such was my father’s faith in God almighty that we stayed on; with him always saying that so long as the house was standing, it was alright: and his famous phrase: “how much worse can this get; it will only get better from here on, trust God.” 

On our first Sunday outing to Dusei village (which is about five kilometres from Hurai by foot), we had to swim across a fast-flowing river.  My mother had my two-year-old brother in her arms; as she swam/waded across, one of her feet slipped and she let go of my brother into the flowing river.  Dad had to dive across quickly from where he was walking with him, to save him.  My brother was feverish that night and I was sent out in the dark to walk another two kilometres to the aid post to seek help from the orderly.

That night, dad maintained his stance: that things would only get better from there.  Although it would be only me accompanying him to the surrounding villages every Sundays for the moment.  Sometimes we left on Saturday afternoons in order to get the furthest village which was about a half-day’s walk from where we were.  Then we would slowly make our way home.  Every Sunday, dad would minister to up to five villages before we both reached home in the dark of the night.

Towards the end of that year, my father stood humbly before Bishop Reverend Leslie Boseto and was ordained as a fully-fledged Minister of the United Church of Papua New Guinea.  My mother stood proudly by his side.  This occurred at the Tonu Mission station.  They both remained true to their calling until their retirement 2009, nearly 33 years later.

If my dad’s idea of “things can only get better from here on, trust God” is any indication of the life he led, then I stand true to my faith in God almighty; as Isaiah said, “Those who trust in the Lord, will soar like eagles; they will walk and not get tired . . . “

I salute you, Reverend Mision, and Marama Helen Mision, and pay my respects to your late daughters Norah and Shaol, for their undivided love and trust in your mission.  Yours is a faith that can move mountains.  I will continue to commemorate this day in hour and remembrance of your two daughters.  May their kind and gentle souls continue to rest in God’s eternal peace.

The 6^th of February remains a true part of our Church’s annual calendar and should remind us all of the tremendous sacrifice, and the trials and tribulations all missionaries, reverends, and pastors, together with their wives, have had to endure and overcome for the love of our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we all may be saved and have eternal life after death.

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[1][1] https://www.bing.com/search?q=talair+disaster+on+6+february%2c+1987+in+png&qs=HS&pq=talair+d&sc=8-8&cvid=0EF46E0D5E0343D9A45BF3150A9C8EDE&FORM=QBRE&sp=1 <<11 13:20="" feb="">>

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Spafford <<11 13:31="" feb="">>