people
pp. 55-56 · Read in the full issue
A reputation for unflappability precedes the new French High Commissioner in New Caledo nia, Fernand Wibaux.
For all the drama he will no doubt witness in his new and important posting, it can hardly outdo his last, as the French Ambassador to Lebanon.
There, in September 1983, he literally stepped into a dead man’s shoes, his predecessor, Louis Delamare, having been assassinated.
In a profile of Mr Wibaux in le Monde , a diplomatic cor respondent credits Mr Wibaux with having “re-adjusted”
France’s policy in Lebanon, in particular in setting up ties with the Shi’ite Muslims. (It was noteworthy that France played a significant role in negotiations in June over the fate of the Americans held hostage in Beirut by the Shi’ites.) A lawyer by training, Mr Wibaux, 63, has spent most of his career in Africa, where France has interests whose im portance is sometimes not fully appreciated in English-speaking countries.
The le Monde correspondent said of him: “He is a man who would rather listen than talk. At ease with every situation, he saves his anger for armchair specialists who think they have all the answers ...”
It sounds very much as if New Caledonia could do with his services right now. Mal colm Salmon.
Former Madang Premier, Sir Bato Bultin, was the only Papua New Guinean knighted in the 1985 Queen’s Birthday Honors.
He was made a Knight Bachelor for outstanding leadership in provincial politics and development.
Sir Bato had earlier received an MBE for services to the local government councils since 1958.
Rabaul MP John Kaputin and Milne Bay Premier Lepani Watson got the second highest award, the Champion of the Most Distinguised Order of
Saint Michael and Saint George.
Mr Kaputin’s was for service to politics and Mr Watson’s for service to provincial politics and development of Milne Bay.
The man who designed the new Parliament, Cecil Hogan, heads the list for those awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).
His award is for designing the Parliament building.
Manus MP Mrs Nahau Rooney, the only woman to be honored, was made a Com mander of the most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to politics.
Other PNG awards were: OBE; Dr Elton Brash, for services to tertiary education, McKenzie Javopa, MP, for public service, Andrew Kom boni, for services to politics, John Wolfgang Lohberger, for public service, Garth Mcll wain, for services to the com munity, and Mahuru Rarua Rama MBE MP, for services to politics.
MBE Delba Biri, for services to the community, August Yingkiang Chan, for services to the community, Andrew Emang, for services to nursing, Brian Fry, for services to sport, John Davey Mudge, for public and community service, and Nakot Waina, for services to the community.
Imperial Service Order (ISO)
Jack Bagita, BEM, for public service.
British Empire Medal (Civil division) BEM Bano Aza’ni fa, for services to the commun ity, Yore leuri, senior const able; Muga Ivel, orderly Tari hospital, Angobe Kangate, for public service, Kamaniel Selot, police sergeant major, Paul Ulkambane, police senior sergeant.
Order of the British Empire (Military Division) (OBE) Colonel Kwago Guria, PNGDF, MBE, Warrant Officer Martin Bani, Wing-comman der John Griffiths, RAAF, Warrant Officer Elias Kakini, PNGDF, Warrant Officer Ro land Kinawj, Maj. Michael Kuweh, Maj. Gabriel Tamc gal, Warrant Officer laerea Toina, Warrant Officer Roy Tumdroi.
British Empire Medal (Milit ary Division) (BEM) Sergeant Jack Ako, Sgt Dogem Banuk, Private Alan Boruai, Sgt Terrence Deuha pa, Lance-corporal Simon Koliwan, Private Nihilen Nal was and Private Pitalai Titna.
Fiji Sugar Corporation’s chief executive, Rasheed Ali, and the managing director of the Emporer Gold Mining Co., Jef frey Reid, have been made Commanders (of the order of) of the British Empire (CBE) in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honors List.
The Queen has also bes towed OBEs (officers of the order of the British Empire) on three people in the Fiji list.
They are: veteran teacher and prominent social worker, Ro Senimili Rokoyau Takiveikata, specialist educa tion expert, Frank Hilton, and well-known cricket administra tor, Philip Snow.
The Imperial Service Order was awarded to the divisional engineer in the Northern Divi sion, Gustavo Maynard Bill ings The six MBE awards (Mem bers of the order of the British Empire) went to Nadera businessman Haji Ashraf Ali, Lautoka civial servant and
hockey administrator, Mrs Aloesi Lewatunalagi Johns, a member of the Colo North District Development Commit tee, Ratu Filimoni Nawawaba lavu, a community worker and farmer in Cakaudrove, Sitiveni Laso Raikanikoda and a re tired manager of Morris Hed strom, Savusavu, Abdul Samad.
The British Empire Medal was awarded to Rup Narayan, the headteacher of Nadi Pri mary School and chairman of the Nadi District Advisory Council, the Roko Tui Macuata, Ratu Emois Caniogo and Everett Leung Harrison, principal engineer with the De partment of Posts and Tele communications.
Eight people were awarded the Certificates of Honor.
They are: Sania Naicuasese Kailutu, a retired civil servant and farmer in Waidina, Mrs Padma Wati Lochan, an assis tant headteacher at the Gandhi Bhawan Primary School, Joeli Lotawa, a former chief fire officer at Nadi Airport, Josefa Natua Nemani Moceinasavu, a retired meteorological officer, Parbhu Prasad, a prominent Lekutu farmer in Bua, Ulaiasi Qalomai, a farmer and com munity worker of Wainunu, Bua, and Mr Akapusi Tulovo, a retired civil servant and com munity worker of Waiqele Labasa.
Lone Tongan sailor Viliami Fehoko “Tonga Bill” has but one more ocean to cross to complete his solo sail around the world.
The 30-year-old sailor was last reported in Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean.
He planned to sail up the Suez Canal before going down the African continent and across the Atlantic.
He began sailing singlehand edly in his 6m yacht, the Mata moana, in 1977.
After building the Matamoana with no engine, in Auckland that year, he sailed to the Cook Islands and Tahiti before calling at Nuku’alofa in 1978.
Since then, Mr Fehoko has
Fernand Wibaux . . . unflap pable. - Les Nouvelles photo.
been to most South Pacific countries.
In a letter from Mauritius, “Tonga Bill” said that there would be no rush to achieve his goal, as he enjoys sailing from one country to another learning and observing.
If successful, Mr Fehoko will be the first Tongan probably the first Polynesian to circle the world singlehandedly.
The Tuna and Billfish Assess ment Program is one of the largest projects of the South Pacific Commission. Funded from extra-budgetary sources, the program has responsibility for survey and assessment of fish stocks in the region.
Five appointments recently took place within the program.
These appointments should make the program more effec tive in meeting its priorities and able to respond more efficiently to individual country requests.
Dr John Sibert has assumed duty as Tuna Program Co ordinator, Michael Ivanac as Tuna Program Systems Mana ger, Dr Ray Hilborn and Re naud Pianet as Senior Fisheries Scientists.
In addition, Samuelu Taufao and Brian Moore have been respectively appointed to the positions of Computer Pro grammer/Research Assistant and Assistant Fisheries Statisti cian, which have been rede scribed in accordance with the new directions given to the program by the South Pacific Commission’s 16th Regional Technical Meeting on Fisheries held at SPC headquarters in August, 1984.
Dr Richard Herr, lecturer in political science at the Univer sity of Tasmania and a former adviser to the South Pacific Commission, served recently as foreign affairs consultant to President Haruo Remeliik of Palau under an ESCAP award.
Bikenibeu Paeniu, a Tuvalu citizen born in Kiribati, recently took up the position of Assistant Economist with the South Paci fic Commission.
Mr Paeniu has a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in agricultural and resource economics from the University of Hawaii at
Manoa, specialising in market ing, agricultural planning and quantitative analysis. From 1980 to 1985, he was Agricultural Officer and Head of the Agriculture Department of the Government of Tuvalu, directly responsible for the planning and implementation of the overall national agricul tural development program of Tuvalu.
After an Act laying the ground was passed by the Cook Islands Parliament last year, Atiu MP Tangata Simiona has been busy putting the finishing touches to the establishment of an Ombudsman Office.
He was recently appointed a Special Assistant to the Prime Minister with the responsibility of establishing an Ombuds man’s Office.
Mr Simiona is confident that once the office is established the position will be made his.
“I’m interested in doing the job and it has been promised to me.”
Talking about the office he said; “Ombudsman is a strange name to the Cook Islands calling it a judge for Parliament is simpler.”
A South Seas Islands mission ary returned to Papua New Guinea for his last visit in June.
The Rev Isikeli Hau’ofa, from Tonga, planned to visit the Misima people in the Milne Bay Province, where he was a Methodist Overseas Missionary for 36 years until 1972.
“I am visiting my brothers, sisters and children in Christ oh, I love my people,” Hau’ofa said.
Four of his five children were born in the Milne Bay Province.
Among them are the PNG National Broadcasting Com mission radio announcer, Ro ger Hau’ofa, Oro Provincial Deputy Premier and Minister for Finance, Isikeli Hau’ofa, and University of the South Pacific academic and author, Epeli Hau’ofa He is 76, and feels as much part of PNG as any Papua New Guinean.
He attended a Sunday service at the Boroko United Church, where he was officially introduced to the congregation.
Gregory M. B. Tong (left), chairman of Honolulu-based Wimberly Whisenand Allison Tong & Goo Architects, Ltd., is presented with the University of Hawaii’s School of Travel Industry Management Distinguished Service Award 1985, by Richard H. Kosaki, acting chancellor, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Mr Tong, a substantial supporter of travel industry management education and of tourism deve lopment in the State of Hawaii and the Pacific area, was cited among other things for “organising, conducting and establishing a pool of professional experts for the TIM course (which ran for four years), in Hotel Design, Engineering and Maintenance,” and for “returning the teaching stipend . . . to the TIM School for its development use.”
Mr Tong’s firm has hotel projects throughout the Pacific, where its work is noted for its respect for the environment and host cultures.
The citation accompanying the award concluded: “BE IT RESOLVED that the Dean, faculty and students of the School of TIM in the College of Business Administration at the University of Hawaii extend their warmest aloha and deepest mahalo to Gregory M. B. Tong; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body has voted to confer upon Gregory M. B. Tong its School of Travel Industry Management Distinguished Service Award for 1985, and to transmit a copy of this citation to him and to the corporate office of Wimberly, Whisenand, Allison, Tong and Goo, Architects.”
The citation was signed by Mr Kosaki, Chuck Y. Gee, Dean, School of Travel Industry Management, and John C.
Brogan, Chairman, TIM Advisory Board.