PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) bid farewell to one of its highly experienced Board member, and senior citizen, Patrick Kalani Amini, in November.
The late director Amini, from Alukuni in Rigo, Central Province, passed on at the good age of 66 at the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby on November 11 after a short illness.
He was appointed to the Board of PNG Ports on January 2013 bringing with him a wealth of experience after serving as the Chief Executive Officer for two other State Owned Enterprises (SOE) – PNG Power Limited and Water PNG.
By January next year, he would have served the PNG Ports board for six years.
During his funeral held at the Boroko United Church, Deputy Chairman of PNG Ports, Fabian Chow, spoke highly of the late Director’s contributions to the Board.
“The experience and leadership late Amini brought to PNG Ports was immense. To all of us who worked with him, he was the guiding hand in the entire team. He was the last check in all the major decisions we made, the check and balance, if I may say so,” said Mr Chow.
“As a senior director, he contributed immensely towards PNG Ports’ milestone achievements in the operational and financial aspects of our business.”
“His role in the life of the PNG Ports board will forever remain exemplary.”
“He was one of the best. He was indeed a great asset to the private sector, the government and the people of this country,” said Mr Chow.
At the time of his death, the late Amini, an Electrical Engineer by profession, had given a total of 43 years to the service of SOE’s; at least two thirds of his life.
He served PNG Power for 25 years, since January 1974, working in various positions including the Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer for the PNG Electrical Commission (now PNG Power). He was later appointed Chief Executive Officer in June 1989, a position he held for six years.
He then moved on to be the Executive Director of the Pacific Power Association in Suva, Fiji for three and a half years from July 1995 to December 1998.
Following that, he joined Water PNG as the Chief Executive and Managing Director, a position he held for 13 years from March 1999 to June 2012.
During his time at PNG Power and Water PNG, he was instrumental in the retailing of electricity and water services.
His tenure at PNG Power saw him complete the Warangoi, Pauanda, Ru Creek, Sohun and the multi-million kina Yonki dam hydro electric project.
He also saw the implementation of the prepayment electricity meters (Esipay meters), developed the company’s Strategic Planning, among other achievements.
At Water PNG, the late Amini completed the Madang, Kokopo, Lorengau, Kwikila, Mutzing, Bereina, and Wabag water supply projects, and did improvements to the Lae water supply system.
He implemented the Compliance and Licensing functions of Water PNG, and oversaw the developments of the Corporate and Strategic Planning for Water PNG, Draft National Water Policy, Draft Community Service Obligation Policy, Organisational Reforms and Change towards Corporatisation, and the Medium Term Corporate Plan and Priorities 2012 – 2015 and Water PNG Strategic Plan 2012 – 2030.
