Tony Voutas - Kaindi to chang zhu de
06 December 2007
In 1964 Bill Bloomfield was elected to the first PNG House of Assembly. He’d traversed the Kaindi electorate asking voters to put the man they wanted as number one on the ballot paper and Bloomfield as number two. He won at the eighth preference count. To this day there are probably still Kaindi voters who believe both their man and Bloomfield were elected.
By 1966 Bill Bloomfield was dead, unhappily becoming the first PNG politician to die in office, and his place was taken by a young patrol officer called Tony Voutas who had just picked up a degree in Indonesian studies at ANU. He had visited every one of the 80 polling places in Kaindi telling everyone to put him first and allocate no preferences. He won easily.
In the next few years Tony Voutas became one of the founding fathers of the Pangu Party and an adviser to PNG’s first prime minister, Michael Somare. Tony Voutas was a prominent, indeed an eminent, figure in PNG in the sixties and early 1970s – and then he was gone. So what became of Anthony Constantine ‘Toni’ Voutas?
Well it turns out that Tony Voutas is a chang zhu de, or long time expatriate, in Beijing. He’s been in China for nearly 30 years and is Managing Director of his own company, Asia Pacific Access. APA consults to multinational companies doing business in China, its services including relocation, cross-cultural training, human resource management, business set-up and remote site investigation in China.
“I first came to China in 1974 on a semi-official PNG delegation,” he says. “At the time, which was before PNG's independence, I had completed two terms as a member of the PNG parliament and was serving as the PNG prime minister’s chief adviser.
“I am fascinated by the intricacies, variations and dynamics of the culture. While Chinese culture has had such a long and rich history, nowadays you may find layers of culture ranging from traditional to ultra-modern within the same family, even within the same person. On the weekends I still love to have picnics around the Ming Tombs or amidst the serene stupas of Silver Mountain - after decades I still haven't grown tired to exploring China and learning about its vibrant culture.”
Photo: Tony Voutas' election photograph [Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1966]
Mr Tony Voutas it is good to recall us now, the new generation of Papua New Guinea. I just want to inform you that we are the family of our late father of this nation PNG. I am son of the late Ruben Yama from Markham.
Posted by: Nathan Sam | 26 August 2023 at 01:32 PM
I would like to upload the photos I took back at the village
Pangu Party's office and monuments if given the opportunity here
Cheers
Kenz WAMBENG
Posted by: Kenz Wambeng | 03 October 2022 at 12:17 PM
Its very sad when I first visited Monyau, my dad's home ground where he proudly gave a piece of land to the government to build the first Pangu office. The office still remains with all the history inside its walls.....
Monument's with engraved history of our Pangu fathers were on the stone and Benny Danu's gave still there with no one to tell the whole PNG about the hidden history and the village where it all happened...... Buang, Monyau, Morobe Province....
The Pangu government today doesn't care about Pangu''s history. If they were, they would have made it a home for many Papua New Guinean's and Tourist to visit the village and read the history engraved on the stone.... to know were it all began....
On the internet now is just few details starting from Sir Michael Somare up.... its sad indeed... very sad.... our generation today know little of how our country's first party came to be and got the Independence....
I have photos of the first Pangu Party's office, engraved history writings on the stone with Benny Dangu's grave taken while I was visiting home (Monyau)...
Cheers,
Kenz WAMBENG
Posted by: Kenz Wambeng | 03 October 2022 at 12:11 PM
I wanted to know more about history of our party (PANGU).
I have heard that PANGU was first formed in Buang (Moniau) and later reached out to Morobe and PNG. But the history is not clear.
I can see only middle part of the history where Somare and others in Port Moresby were ready to form government. We need to know.
________
There is a connection with Morobe, Robinson, but I have been unable to find any published detail on this. Perhaps one of our readers can help - KJ
In the meantime, there's some useful information in the following two links - KJ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangu_Pati
https://www.tokpisin.info/political-parties-papua-new-guinea/
Posted by: Robinson.Seke | 22 July 2022 at 11:27 AM
Thanks for the brief wonderful history, sir. It revealed to me my origins.
The lord keep and bless you. Rise new readers for the future of your people.
Posted by: Albert E Kotu | Bugiau | 05 May 2016 at 08:43 AM
With the knowledge that PANGU, the founding party that led this nation to independence and being born in Moniau in Buang, Bulolo, Morobe Province, what have the leaders of Buang done to take pride in this piece of history.
Buang is still struggling interms of road conditions, development might be gradually improving but you mean after 40 years...no,no.
Buang people lets stand together and make change happen to show the nation that we are the core founders of this nation.
Posted by: Esron Sete Tuvut | 11 September 2015 at 09:33 PM
I as an elite son of Moniau, I wish to congratulate Tony Voutas on the great achievement you' ve brought about in putting Moniau Village on the map as the birth place of PNG's pioneer political party - PANGU.
Buang needs to prosper and keep up with the challengers currently faced by PNG's rapid development.
We can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the latest developments brought about by our very own favourite son, Hon. Member for Bulolo, Sam Basil and I appeal to educated Buangs to support the Honourable Member in whatever means to implement the Members plan for the betterment of not only Buang but Bulolo, Morobe Province, and PNG as a whole.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to setup a Tony Voutas Foundation to Monitor and Assist Buang children in terms of Health and Education.
Patak Amrot rek Yesu Are.
Mares Demb (Nai Mares Umbu).
Posted by: Morris Debon | 28 July 2015 at 06:54 PM
As an Elite son of Moniau,, I'am proud of your, Tony Voutas, achievements in putting Moniau on the Map as the Birth Place of Papua New Guinea's first Political Party, PANGU PARTY.
It would be an honour to setup a Foundation under 'Amang Voutas' to support the Biangkohun Parish Children in terms of EDUCATION and HEALTH to sustain the daily livelihood challenges faced by the Rapid Growth of PNG's development.
I Hope like minded son's of Biangkohun can one day ignite such initiatives like their forefathers did in welcoming Mr. Voutas to Moniau in achieving this milestone.
Pitak Nivka, Anutu mondo iving il rot!!!
Morris Debon (Nai Mares Umbu)
Posted by: Morris Debon | 18 June 2015 at 09:12 PM
I will convey the good news to Mr Christian and may come back to you in due course. Seuko.
Posted by: Allisther Hegufec | 08 April 2015 at 05:19 PM
Very happy to catch up with you. I was given the task to find you through the social media by my father-in-law, Titi Christian, former Member for Buang and Premier of Morobe Province.
Posted by: Allisther Hegufec | 08 April 2015 at 05:08 PM
Hi Amang, ke Mon Paleng ke amang Mr Parker Joseph Bulang, ke atang Mrs Yaing Bulang. Ke lokvu ong ing PANGU i history olomb ke tato email vu ong.
It's a honour to know you, sir, through your hard work with the support of our forefathers uncle Benny, papa Tuvut etc at home (Moniyau Village) at the time of your founding.
It's the start of the political history of this great nation. Now we have a son of the Buang area leading our beloved PANGU Party and looking forward for 2017, Member for Bulolo and Deputy Opposition leader Hon Sam Basil.
It's a relieve in our heart, mind and soul when the Party went back home (Moniau Village) for the declaration.
Posted by: Jeffrey Parker Bulang | 06 September 2014 at 01:44 PM
Hi, Tony Voutas. I am the general secretary of Pangu Pati. I just visited Moniyau village and the Pangu Pati monument. I also met with Angrau and Titng.
My visit was to prepare for the meeting on 30 August and present the new Pangu Pati leader and member for Bulolo, Hon Sam Basil MP.
Posted by: Morris Tovebae | 24 August 2014 at 03:15 PM
I have heard abount Tony Voutas and have being searching for his history in PNG. Appreciate this piece of history...
Posted by: Esron Sete Tuvut | 12 July 2011 at 02:03 PM