A great moment for the Enga students at Divine Word University

By Joe WASIA
President Enga Students Association

The night of the Saturday 23 July 2011, was an exciting moment for Enga students at Divine Word University and its affiliated Lutheran School of Nursing when the Enga Students Association hosted it first Fundraising Coffee Night on the main campus.

Invitations were given to all Engan leaders, business houses and many working class people in Madang. The letters were also given to provincial clubs including the proposed Jiwaka and Hela provinces.

It was exciting to see that all the invited guests turn up except two who conveyed their apologies.

They included prominent businessmen and long time residents of Madang Max Kitao, Joe Tari Tipaija and Peter Andoi. They all pledged K500 each to the ESA.

Also present were Argmark Hardware branch manager Peter Lyakai and DWU lecturer Dr Fr Robert Laka who pledged K400 and K500 respectively. Another businessman Jackson Sisiak pledged K200.

ESA patron and medical doctor from Modilon General Hospital, Dr Jimmy Aipit, pledged K500 plus a huge pig while another Engan medico, Dr Kone, pledged K300. Dr Steven Toraso was also present on the night.

Divine Word University's Vice President, Br Andrew Simpson died in Madang, Papua New Guinea

By Joe WASIA

President Enga Students Association 2011

It was one of the moments when a CEO of the university came down to be with the Enga students at their end-of- the year function at Nagada beach, tens of kilometres north of Madang town in 2010.

Late Br. Andrew Simpson with Enga students, 2010

This is one of the memories that even time will never erase in ones.

Eyes welled up in tears when, on the evening EMTV bulletin, I saw that this great man, the Australian Christian brother, Andrew Simpson CFC, Vice President of Divine Word University, was dead.
I couldn't believe the news until calls and text messages from friends confirmed his death on a Friday from an heart attack.

Br Simpson will never be forgotten in the hearts and minds of every Papua New Guinean who passed out of that institution from its pre-university state to this day. He contributed so much to the university to be where it is today as a model institution in PNG, providing knowledge and skills required in this 21st century.

He was a most respected fellow at the university who would eat with us students in our dining hall, attend end-of year functions with the clubs and always be at social events organised by student groups. He would tell us stories and socialise well with the student body and the DWU community.

Recent fatal accidents in Papua New Guinea are lessons to learn

By Joe WASIA

I have been prompted to write this article by a tragic vehicle accident that caused the loss of many of my country men and women. It was one of the nasty accidents in the recent history on Papua New Guinea.

In Mt Hagen General Hospital

The road safety threats created by driver are; driver poor behavior (reckless, too much speed, mobile phone use while driving), driver lack of competence (skills and knowledge), driver fatigue, driver mental stress, driver poor vision, and drugs and alcohol etc.

A fatal accident, on the 4th April, in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands region has claimed 25 lives-eighteen men, six women and a five-year old girl were killed in the crash. It is believed to be one of the worst accidents in PNG’s recent history.

The first one was in Mahakam Highway in Morobe Province in 2010, which claimed 48 lives including children. Only a female survived. This accident, involved families and relatives of one of their tribesman from Baiyer Lumusa district in Western Highlands Province who died in Port Moresby whose body was to return through Kagamuga Airport in Mt Hagen.