Oala Oala-Rarua is

out of P-NG trade unionism

Papua-New Guinea’s first

genuine trade unionist, Papuan

Oala Gala Rarua, has apparently come to the end of the union road.

From 1960, with the Department of Labour’s help, he became the territory’s premier unionist, heading the Port Moresby Workers’ Associa tion, and, with Australian Council of Trade Unions’ financial aid, attempt ing to form a Federation of Workers Associations.

But his meteoric rise flattened off in 1965 as the workers association disintegrated, and since he became a member of the House of Assembly (1968) and an Assistant Ministerial Member (Treasury), he’s slid out of unionism.

The final blow fell on February 11 when he failed to get a nomina tion to chair the steering committee of the revived Port Moresby Workers’

Association, his old union.

The chair went instead to Pangu Party secretary, Albert Maori Kiki, another Papuan, and the secretary’s position to another Pangu man, Gavea Rea, of the Waterside Workers Union.

The Department of Labour had a more than tacit agreement with Albert Maori Kiki (who had or ganised the revival of the Workers Association) that Oala would be nominated, but it didn’t come off.

With the election of officers com

ing shortly, Pangu appears to be in a position to head all three unions in Port Moresby. Kiki is moving fast on the industrial front (to help keep his support also) by already announc ing a claim for a minimum wage of SA7 (a rise of 50c) to bring miscellaneous workers into line with the Building Workers Union award.

Meanwhile, Oala-Rarua grabbed some headlines in the Pacific by re leasing publicly details of a proposal he made to the House of Assembly’s Select Committee on Constitutional Development, of which he is a mem ber.

He urged that the territory be given greater financial control over the budget. He wanted the territory to control all its own revenue, and up to one-quarter of the huge Aus tralian annual grant (currently $llB million); also the remaining three quarters to be allocated to specific projects.

His proposals were also heard in other parts of the South Pacific where he is well and favourably known in some important quarters. Oala- Rarua represented Papua-New Guinea at the Ninth South Pacific Conference held in Noumea in October where he impressed delegates from other territories and not a few South Pacific Commission commissioners.

His particular buddy at the con ference was the Premier of Tonga and brother to the king, Prince Tu’ipelehake. It was seriously pro posed in some quarters there that the man from Papua would be a first rate selection as the next secretary-general of the South Pacific Commission.

Present incumbent since January is Afioga Afoa Fouvale Misimoa, a Western Samoan.

At left, Kavachi photographed jusl after it had reapppeared from the sea