ALAN McLAY: A NATION BUILDER (Part 1)

Excepts from a tribute by Phil Franklin- Former Australian Consulate in Lae

Born in Melbourne Victoria on January 16^th 1945, Alan Mclay was a keen sportsperson playing representative water polo and rugby union. He also played AFL and was an avid supporter of the Essendon Bombers.

Like the Bombers, Alan was not afraid to accept life’s challenges and so in November 1964 he arrived in Papua New Guinea as a Cadet Patrol Officer (kiap).

He worked alongside senior statesman Jerry Nalau during the pre independence Australian Government and carried on with this service in the years following independence.

After tours of duty in East New Britain, Chimbu, Bougainville and Madang, in 1977 he took up the role of Deputy District Commissioner in Lae.

For all Kiaps, there are many stories about events that took place during their service. Some have been told so many times they have become folklore and others have become individual standout moments.

As Phil Franklin wrote;

The first story was told to me by a Papua New Guinean who served with Alan as a trainee patrol officer in Chimbu. We have to remember that kiaps were also magistrates authorized to preside over court with powers of sentencing and jailing.

In 1974, 44years ago and the year before PNG gained Independence, Alan was alerted that two clans were engaged in a savage tribal fight at Nembari Kuima in Sinesine, Chimbu.

He arrived at the fight to find two people had been killed and many more wounded with spears and arrows. With his arrival there was a bit of lull and hesitation in the exchange of arrows and ceasing the moment he marched up to the fight leaders of one clan an dafter speaking to them took their bows and arrows and broke them across his knees.

This took many by surprise. He then did the same to the other clan and with the support of his police officers stopped the fight subsequently. The administration arranged a huge raid and arrested all the warriors of both clans involved and were duly courted and jailed by ADC Mclay for 6 months with hard labor.

For years afterwards, warriors who had been jailed or their families brought Alan gifts of food in gratitude for the lives he had saved by treating both sides fairly to stop the fight.

The second story was in 1975 the year of Independence when Alan was escorting a 27year old Prince Charles through large numbers of PNG tribesmen and women who were all traditionally dressed.

I am sure you all can all envisage the scene with chanting singsing dancer in their finest regalia. Alan was introducing the Prince to the various dancing groups pointing out the different headdress plumages. The Prince seemed very with the ladies’ traditional dress.

Being an expert interpreter, when the Prince asked what the ladies were saying, Alan turned the talk from shy “askim” about the Prince into general welcomes to Your Highness.

In 1985 Alan left the government to join Sullivans Ltd, a large private sector wholesaler and retailer as Administration Manager. His knowledge of PNG and government processes has been a great benefit to a rapidly expanding business.

Alan's contribution to Lae will be covered in Part 2 of this story.