High achieving Papua New Guinean pilot, Captain Granger Narara, will be the guest speaker at this year’s prestigious Men of Honour Awards (MOHA), on April 29, in Port Moresby.
The Men of Honour Awards is Digicel Foundation’s innovative campaign against violence, designed to create conversation around the issue for a pendulum shift in the attitudes by recognising ordinary men doing extraordinary deeds.
Digicel Foundation CEO, Beatrice Mahuru, said she was excited to hear the story of Captain Narara, whose tale of hard work and commitment can raise locals to become demanded international human resource.
“Our guest speaker will share his humble beginnings on the Island village in the Milne Bay Province, to operating some of the world’s largest flying machines in the United Arab Emirates,” Mahuru said.
“He is truly a Man of Honour, having inspired his younger brother, Timothy and son Nigel, to follow in his footstep to become pilots like himself in the UEA.
“His message for Papua New Guineans about violence and what women and children can achieve when they have honourable men as role models will be a strong message at our Awards Gala evening,” the Foundation CEO said.
“Being as successful as he is in his chosen career path, Mr. Narara attributes his success to his father, a village man, for believing in him and giving him the best opportunities he could give a son,” Mahuru said.
Narara is currently a senior examiner on the Airbus Fleet with Etihad Airways.
“I have been instructing and examining pilots and pilot instructors on a wide-body jet aircraft in the UAE for 25 years continuously, since 1991,” said the captain.
“During that time I have also held positions of Chief Pilot with Emirates, Vice President Operations with Etihad Airways and Chief Operating Officer with Air Seychelles. I have voluntarily gone back to flying as I wanted to fly until retirement, so I now just fly and instruct on the Airbus A330 and A340 with Etihad.”
Captain Narara said he was delighted to be given recognition by his countrymen for his professional achievements, as they continue to be great ambassadors of Papua New Guinea around the world.
“My younger brother Tico is an Airbus A380 Captain with Emirates Airlines and my eldest son Nigel is an Airbus A320 Captain with me in Etihad. All of us have flown in PNG, I did 13 years with Air Niugini, which included three years with Talair, my brother did nine years with PNGDF and about five years with Air Niugini and my son flew two years with Airlines PNG, so we are all home bred,” Captain Narara said.
A total of 94 outstanding nominations from around the country were received, from which the MoHA independent panel of judges have selected 20 finalists. Winners will be announced during the awards gala evening, at the Stanley Hotel, on Saturday April 29, 2017.
Tickets are going for K1,000 per person or K9,000 for a corporate table of 10 heads.
Digicel PNG Foundation office can be contacted at MenOfHonour@digicelgroup.com or call 7222 2601 for purchase of tickets.
Picture: Captain Granger Narara