Alotau celebrates 50 years with a call to work the land

Alotau’s celebrations for Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary turned into a vibrant call for self-reliance today, with Governor Gordon Wesley urging his people to shift from being passive landowners to active developers.

The township was a sea of red, black, and gold from as early as 7am, as crowds paraded vehicle floats and marched in bold displays of national pride. But while the parades celebrated half a century of independence, Wesley reminded citizens that the next 50 years must be about productivity and progress.

“We can talk of being landowners, but the question is: do you work your land?” Wesley challenged.

“Let’s organize ourselves. We have investors ready with the expertise and funding to help us grow but we must first open our land and resources to development.”

Despite rain and sun, people packed the streets to hear the message, underscoring both pride and frustration at how far the country has come and how much more needs to be done.

Similar celebrations also took place across Milne Bay’s four districts, uniting the province in marking the Golden Jubilee with both festivity and sober reflection.