NCD leader makes history on highest peak

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, October 4, 2015 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

GOVERNOR of the nation’s capital, Powes Parkop, has done it again with his latest feat that saw him scale the country’s highest peak Mount Wilhelm in the Chimbu Province last month.

The governor became the country’s first sitting parliamentarian to climb the 4,509 meter mountain and in addition had a waterfall on the iconic peak named after him.

“Of course I am the first Parliamentarian to climb the peak, and in honour of my pioneer walk they have named a waterfall before the lake in my honour, which is now called Powes Parkop falls,” Parkop proudly stated.

“I am honoured to be given that recognition because in the early time when I was still in university I helped the local people there to organize themselves into women cooperatives and set up micro-bank schemes for the local people to grow vegetables and sell all over the country.”

He took on the challenge as part of the Walk for Life program initiated by him and admitted that is was very tough but great experience- something to be treasured forever in his life.

“I would like to encourage people in our city and all over the country to make it an event in their lifetime to go up to Mt Wilhelm. It is a very beautiful part of our country, a majestic and mysterious place also,” Parkop said.

“I can’t fully describe the experience- you have got to be there to appreciate what Mt Wilhelm can give.”

“For us to take walk for life up there is a step-up for everyone who has been participating in the Walk for Life campaign, and we will now hold it as an annual event. We will keep on walking in the city but every year we send a team to the Kokoda Trail, another team to Mt Wilhelm.”

He added that the program had received an invitation from the country’s third highest peak Mount Michael, which is in Lufa, Eastern Highlands Province.

The governor was accompanied by a team of eight individual from Yoga for Life, along with coordinators from Walk for Life program.

“We also had deputy secretary for Community Development Leo Kulumbu come with us and we had a Malaysian, a Britain and Chinese national.”

“Overall it was a great week and that is the spirit that we are trying to encourage here in the city where everybody and live, work, work, and climb together,” Governor Parkop concluded.