The story of writing of Papua New Guinea in existence

A Founding Father of Papua New Guinea talks about the writing of PNG’s Constitution

The Constitution of Papua New Guinea is home-grown and the best reflection of Our People’s wishes as it was produced after much public consultation. “We refused to go overseas. I said that we must go to every Patrol Post,” says John Momis, then a young Catholic Priest being thrust into the role of Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Planning Committee.

Father John Momis, as he was then, worked under Chief Minister Micheal Somare, as he was then, who was ex officio Chairman of the CPC. Together, 16 members of the Committee comprising of lawyers, politicians, academics and administrative officers pieced together a union of over 700 Indigenous Nations under a Modern State.

At the stroke of midnight, on the 16th of September 1975, the Constitution came into effect and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea was born on the eastern shores of the Island of New Guinea.