A BRIEF STAY IN PLES RADAZ

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22ND 2016, 11:40AM: The intercom on Air Niugini flight
PX252 announced, Cabin crew, please prepare the cabin for landing. Looking out
the left window from seat 7B, the coconut palm trees from below drew closer and
closer and soon were hurrying past from a level view. Thud! Thud! And a squeak! I
smiled to myself as a line of a familiar tune began playing in my head, Ah
boarding pass tasol na me touch down Tokua.
Thirty five Years of my life in Papua New Guinea and I am finally going to meet the
acquaintance of the province that I have heard so much about.
Waiting to pick me up at the Airport was my family. My 8 month old son assured me
that he missed me for the 4 weeks without my presence through short bursts of
sorrowful sob, at my every smiling glance his way. The road trip to Kokopo took
about 45minutes, or maybe less or more. I wasnt too concerned about the time. I
couldnt wait to experience Ples Radaz. The first few miles of the narrow winding
road through the long kunai grass looked similar to the road from Momote to
Lorengau. Travelling into Kokopo, I saw familiar names of places and shops; Rapopo,
Takubar, Andersons Foodland, Papindo, K-Central.

We stopped over at Kokopo Market and my initial reaction was, Wow! Clean and
very orderly. Walking through the market aisles, I began making comparisons with a
typical public market in Port Moresby. 1% of the market sellers were outsiders and
99% were the locals; this is a key indicator for me as a student of economics. The
dominant cultural group determines the status of the market, the price and the
value received from every purchase. For a Kina, I got six times as much greens in
Kokopo Market compared to that typical market in Port Moresby. The same could be
said for the other garden produce sold in the market as well; for instance twenty
kina got me six big taros tied in a bunch. In Port Moresby, each taro costs 10kina a
piece. Here in Kokopo and Rabaul market, the pricing of fresh garden vegetables is
just right and the quantity received is more than enough and all in all is an indicator
to me that there is less or no greed at all in this island economy. Very interestingly,
the further the distance away from the town market, the price and quantity
remained constant. One may try to argue with me that there are other variables to
consider regarding the price disparities but I say there is only one; Greed is the
main reason for the ridiculous prices of garden produce in Port Moresby. I have
heard that Kokopo town is the model town in whole of Papua New Guinea and
indeed it is. I urge the locals here should keep it that way and be very vigilant of
outsiders who may come into the Province and dictate a new culture that will
corrupt this simple, ordered, clean and un-selfish micro-economy. I make mention of

a couple of street walking-talking-Tari-Wabag-trade-store-pharmacy I caught sight of

in Kokopo. Control the number of these groups of people because the state of Port
Moresby is a testament to their destructive-chaotic-disorderly behavior.
Niuginicentral.
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For the next eight days, I was going to spend my brief stay at Sonoma Adventist
College. The weather here was a combination of sunshine and the occasional
afternoon showers which made the stay a pleasant one. From here, I took bus routes
down to Rabaul and then up to Kerevat, North Baining and South Baining. East New
Britain is a breathtaking and beautiful place. If I were to choose a Province as a
second home away from my home province, it will be Rabaul, East New Britain
Province or rather, Kokopo the capital of East New Britain Province.
I heard from a driver of K-link Taxi services that a tourist ship is travelling into
Rabaul. Should be an interesting story to tell.

Niuginicentral.
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 31st 2016, 11:10AM: Air Niugini flight PX207 taxied onto the
run way. As the sound of the aircrafts engine sped up, the Captain spoke through
the intercom. Cabin Crew, please be seated for takeoff. Looking out the window,
the coconut palm trees hurried past and then grew smaller and smaller and finally
disappeared amidst the white clouds. Till we meet again, yauro!