By Colleen Barilae – EM TV News, Lae
The public in Lae have been up and early this morning to celebrate the country’s 40th birthday today.
People of all ages from the city and districts within the province flocked to Lae’s Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium to get a glimpse of the celebrations.
Morobe Governor, Kelly Naru, and Lae MP, Loujaya Kouza, were present to celebrate the day with the Lae public.
People from all over Lae were up as early as 7 this morning queuing up at the city’s Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium to celebrate the country’s 40th independence commemoration.
Old and young people were amongst this colorful crowd that gathered at the stadium.
A parade was lead by more than 30 schools within Lae followed by the PNG Defence Force Engineering Battalion.
Morobe Governor, Kelly Naru, when speaking at the event today said Lae’s developments must balance with the country’s age of being independent.
“Why do the people of Morobe districts still suffer, still walk long distances, still have no rural doctors, no schools, no teachers and no roads,” Governor Naru said.
The governor’s speech comes following education, health, infrastructure and law and order services that continue to be the province’s focus of development.
More than 5,000 people who dressed in their provincial and national flag colors, flocked in from all areas of the city to witness this festivity.
Among them was 75- year old Dansa Welosi from Morobe’s Finschaffen district.
He said compared to the time when PNG was colonised, he’s happy with the state of the country today.
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