PORT MORESBY – Two more Papua New Guineans have received a Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth the 2nd to honour her 92nd Birthday.
PNG’s 76-year-old businessman and farmer Christopher Charles Abel, father of Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel and Bougainvillean Melchior Pesa Togolo are the two Knights, among 92 awardees of the 2018 Queen’s Birthday honours list.
Poet, author and playwright Nora Vagi Brash and Works Minister Michael Nali top the 2nd highest award rank with CMG (Order of St Michal and St George) followed by diplomat and Fiji High Commissioner Lucy Blanche-Lee Bogari, Sports and APEC Minister Justin Tkatchenko, Barry Tan and Mike Reynolds, recognised for their specific roles in PNG.
Mike Reynolds has been honoured for promoting relations between Queensland and Papua New Guinea, including as Mayor of Townsville and as Patron of YWAM medical ships programme.
And long-time protocol officer Barbara Mimino has been awarded the Imperial Service Order (ISO) for public service together with Nicks Maniha.
Long-time radio broadcaster and journalist Emil Tenoa has also been awarded for his dedicated service to journalism and radio broadcasting in Bougainville and PNG. He is among 34 recipients of the British Empire Medal (BEM).
PNG has also honoured Greg Anderson for his services to the community and commerce in the mining and petroleum sectors and he leads 11 others in the OBE (Officer of the British Empire) section.
About 25 Papua New Guineans have been honoured with an MBE for their services to their various and specific field of work.
The Disciplinary Forces have also been honoured for their work in PNG of which three policemen and women have been awarded Queen’s Police Medal (QPM), two received the Military CBE award while 10 others received a Military British Empire (BEM) award.
There were 92 Papua New Guineans honoured and awarded for their services to specific fields in PNG.
Governor General Sir Bob Dadae while announcing these heroes congratulated all of them for their tireless efforts in contributing to the development of PNG.
