By PAMA I. ANIO
The last of Pangu Pati’s Old Guard passed away early this morning, bringing down the curtains of his and the party’s glorious past.
Tony Ila, 90, was a retired pioneer politician who served as Member for Lae and State Minister from 1972 to 1992. He had been living in Gerehu, NCD, for the past 34 years and is survived by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Mr Ila was born in Oru Village in Ihu, Kikori District, Gulf Province, and began his early education in the mid-1940s at the Kavava Catholic school in Orokolo Bay. In 1956 he transferred to Port Moresby and attended Catholic schools in Hohola and De La Salle in Bomana. He then attended priesthood training at St. Peter’s Channel College in Ulapia, East New Britain, from 1959 to 1960. He did not complete his priesthood training and returned to Port Moresby to attend the Sogeri High School from 1961 to 1964 where he gained his Form 6 (Grade 12) Australian School Leavers’ Certificate.
In 1965 Mr Ila was recruited by Monier Pipes in Port Moresby and the following year was transferred to the company’s Lae office as the first native cadet manager. It was the beginning of his long association with Lae, Morobe Province and the trade union movement.
As a founding member of the Lae Miscellaneous Workers’ Union, Mr Ila was at the forefront of trade union activities in the industrial city, which was recognized by the national body, PNG Trade Union Congress. He was elected unopposed as PNGTUC president in 1972, a role he would maintain after entering the political arena as Lord Mayor and Lae MP later that year.
Mr Ila’s political career blossomed under founding Prime Minister Michael Somare’s watch. He was appointed Minister for Forests in November 1979 but three weeks later was moved to the Labour and Employment Ministry where he served for the next six years. As the longest serving Labour and Employment Minister in the Somare Government, Mr Ila continued to maintain close ties with the PNGTUC and its affiliated unions. He also travelled widely and attended global conferences and forums, sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other donor agencies. His ministry also enhanced his relationship with the trade unions in Australia and other countries. In 1984, Mr Ila was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs and thereafter as Minister for National Planning, which would be his last Cabinet post before the 1987 elections. He retained his seat and served his final term as Lae MP during new Pangu Pati leader, Sir Rabbie Namaliu’s tenure as Prime Minister from 1987 to 1992. He was not appointed a Minister in the Namaliu Cabinet. Mr Ila contested the 1992 elections but failed to retain his Lae Open seat.
As Member for Lae from 1972 to 1992, Mr Ila delivered on the projects and programs he promised during his election campaigns. These included funding of new classrooms and school facilities, upgrading of city infrastructure, funding for community and church projects, funding of sports, youth and women’s programs, funding of maintenance and upgrading of city roads and provision of clean water supplies to urban settlements around Lae City.
Mr Ila retired from politics after 1992 and has been living in Gerehu, NCD, since. At the ripe old age of 90 years and with failing health, Mr Ila’s biggest regret was that he was not recognized with a knighthood by successive Pangu governments, unlike other pioneer politicians. The highest honor awarded to him for distinguished political services was the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).