The National, Thursday 31st May, 2012
By MALUM NALU
PAPUA New Guinea’s multi-million kina coffee industry has lost one of its pioneers, Lloyd Hurrell, who passed away on Tuesday last week in Australia, Hurrell, 95, was the pioneer chairman of the then Coffee Marketing Board (CMB) from 1964 to 1979. “He was the leading coffee planter based in the Wau-Bulolo area and became the most influential and respected man in PNG coffee history,” Coffee Industry Corporation chief executive officer Navi Anis said.
“The PNG coffee industry will miss a great man who has very much foreseen and paved the way for the multi-million kina coffee industry today that affects lives of ordinary Papua New Guineans that farm coffee.”
While serving as chairman of CMB, Hurrell contributed immensely in expanding coffee plantations and promoting business enterprise for indigenous Papua New Guineans. He was instrumental in setting up the CMB, then the Coffee Industry Board and also the Coffee Industry Fund (a stabilisation fund) in 1975. His service to the PNG coffee industry was recognised in June 1969 when he received of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1980, he was awarded the Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).
A framed photo of him still hangs today in the CIC board room which was named after him. Hurrell was born in Wingham, NSW and educated at Hurlstone Agriculture High School. He trained as a teacher at the Armidale Teachers College (Australia) and taught in 1937 and 1938.
In 1939 he joined the Department of District Services and Native Affairs as a cadet patrol officer and was posted to Rabaul. In February 1940 he joined the New Guinea contingent of the Australian Armed Forces when World War II broke out and took part in the famous Kokoda Track campaign. After the war he returned to his pre-war job as patrol officer, looking after Finschhafen, Menyamya and Wau.
In 1953 he resigned and began his life as a farmer. He became deputy provisional chairman of the CMB, created in 1963 and after four months, he was elevated to the chairman’s post. In the 1960 elections he won the New Guinea Coastal seat and became a member of the Legislative Council
Hurrell, because of such person Papua New Guinea has a vibrant coffee farming and selling. This industry puts money into the pockets of many ordinary people and citizens of this great nation of ours, PNG.
ReplyDeleteWhen PNG reflect the loss of a great man also be reminded to work hard to achieve heights in this precious industry following his legacy.
When one visits a place where there is capable climate and soil for coffee plant growth you are able to see the plant. This is the beauty of ordinary Papua New Guinean hold this cash crop for its economic viability.
Coffee puts lots of PNGians to school and institutions in and around PNG and overseas as well. Coffee has to be counted as one of the cash crop treasured by more than 50% of the population of PNG.