Deaths

of Islands People

Posu Ank In the Markham Valley, Papua New Guinea, in April, aged 35, in a car accident.

Mr Ank, of Wangia, near Mendi, was the sitting member for Mendi and government whip in the People’s Progress Party led by Sir Julius Chan.

He was elected to parliament in 1977. It is believed he died instantly when the car he was driving overturned. Sir Julius Chan said: ‘His death has been a sad event for me personally, his parliamentary colleagues, and indeed the nation as a whole.’

Shiu Narayan Kanhai In Suva in March aged 49, from a heart attack.

Mr Kanhai was general sec retary of the Fiji Teachers Union, and National Federation Party candidate for the Nasinu Vunidawa Indian communal seat in the July elections. A spokesman for the union paid

tribute to Mr Kanhai’s ‘tremen dous and untiring contribution to the teachers in Fiji’.

Ariel David Sharan In Vancouver, in April, aged 70.

Mr Sharan was one of the founders of the Sharan Brothers Theatres cinema chain in Fiji.

Formerly a teacher, he went into business at Levuka, and with his four brothers set up a chain of cinemas throughout Fiji. He retired to Vancouver in 1977.

David Gray

In Suva in April, aged 48.

A former superintendent and deputy director of personnel and training in the Royal Fiji Police Force, Mr Gray had retired early this year, having served in the force since 1963.

He was fishing with friends when he suddenly became ill, dying on the same day.

Rev. Fe’aofaki Lose In Sydney in April, aged 58, in a car accident.

He was one of the most respected figures in the Tongan community in Australia. More than 300 Tongans attended his funeral service.

Mohammed Taiyab Khan In Lautoka, Fiji, in May, aged 55, from a heart attack.

A prominent Tavua lawyer and National Federation Party

candidate for the July general election, Mr Khan began his political career in 1966. He was appointed minister for com merce and industry when the Alliance Party won the 1972 general election. In May 1976 Mr Khan was charged with corruption, and although he was cleared of the charges in October, was not restored to a cabinet post. He returned to politics in 1977.

Ponswamy Goundar

In Labasa, Fiji, in April, aged 49, from heart failure.

Mr Goundar was appointed Commissioner Northern only four months before his death.

He was attending Labasa Hos pital for treatment after a car accident whe he suddenly col lapsed and died. He was a popular figure and Labasa’s first ‘home-grown’ com missioner.

Surendra Singh

In Suva in April, aged 46, of cancer.

A former commissioner of

inland revenue, Mr Singh joined the Fiji Civil Service in 1961, after graduating from Otago University, New Zea land, with a Bachelor of Com merce degree. He was honoured with a CBE in 1980, the citation hailing him as one of the architects of Fiji’s tax system.

Harold Picton-Smith In Navua, Fiji, in March aged 64.

Mr Picton-Smith came to Fiji in 1964 to work in the public service, holding a variety of posts, including that of Regis trar-General and Registrar of Titles, before being appointed Solicitor-General in 1971. He was responsible for the revised edition of the Laws of Fiji in 1964 and 1978. Mr Smith was made an OBE in 1980. He retired from the service in 1979 and took Fiji citizenship.

Following his retirement he spent several months in the Marshall Islands advising the local authorities on the setting up of their new administration.