Deaths

Nimbe Bonga. Older brother of the former speaker of the PNG Parliament and Morobe MP, Timothy Bonga was mur dered during a raid by gunmen on a Lae social club.

Mr Bonga, aged about 35, died instantly when he was shot in the back as he lay face down on the floor.

A man was later charged in connection with his death.

Fanene Faasiu Vaeau. One of Western Samoa’s most dedi cated and experienced public servants has died aged 66.

Member of the Council of Deputies, Mataafa F. P. Patu led a large number of govern ment mourners who paid their last respects at his funeral.

The mourners, including Prime minister Vaai Kolone and deputy prime minister Fupuola Efi packed the Vailoa :hurch of the Congregational Christian Church during the wo-hour ceremony.

Letelemaana Siaosi Vaeau :old the mourners his father had /ery limited formal education aut continued in night classes to 2am his Public Service Certifi :ate.

His first job, he recalled, was with the observatory at Mulinuu where he was taken on, not so much for his education as for his skill in rowing the canoe out to the monitoring post on the reef.

After spells with WSTEC and in private enterprise Fanene became a senior officer in the health department.

He later studied for an accountancy qualification and moved from the education de partment to become the most senior Samoan officer in the treasury as assistant to the expatriate financial secretary.

He retired in 1981 after 41 years of service and became a judge of the Land and Titles Court and when he died a few hours after presiding over a court hearing, Fanene was Senior Samoan Judge.

Rev Faapaia Tariu said he had been a deacon for 30 years and he and his wife Asenati had provided wine for com munion every month during most of that time.

He is survived by his wife, 12 children (including adopted children) and 25 grandchildren.

Brother Peter Keaga. A founding member of the PNG

Teachers Association has died in Madang aged 50.

Br Peter, from Inge’fa village, West Mekeo, Bereina in Central Province collapsed a few hours before he was due to be sworn in for a fourth term as president of the association which he helped to establish in 1970.

The country’s first national De La Salle teaching brother was attending the association’s eighth congress at the Madang Resort Hotel when he col lapsed. He rush to hospital where he later died.

Br Ignatius Kennedy, the principal of De La Salle High School near Port Moresby where Br Peter was a staff member, said the hospital staff had been unable to save him.

Br Peter had suffered from diabetes for the past 17 years and his health had not been good in the weeks before his death, Br Ignatius said.

Br Peter had served the teachers association first as vice-president in 1976 and be came the longest serving na tional president from 1977 until his retirement in 1981.

Peter Hamley, died suddenly in Sydney, aged 45.

He had a lot more to do with his life which was ended by a

massive heart attack as he was walking towards his boat.

Peter Hamley had become a pioneer in the design of scuba diving tours around the Pacific and had a group with him when the Jimmy Stevens “coconut rebellion” erupted in Santo.

However this experience drew him even closer to the island and over the years he took dozens of groups back there to show them the Presi dent Coolidge and other fam ous dive sites.

He also took on the manage ment of conference tours. His Law Conferences in Port Vila and Tahiti and his Doctors Conference in Apia are still remembered.

He helped Polynesian Air lines set up their promotions in Australia with advice on scuba diving opportunities in Polynesia.

Each year at the Sydney Holiday and Travel Show he gave up his private time to assist at any of the South Pacific stands in need.

His Sydney funeral was attended by his family and friends as well as dozens who had worked with him over the years.