TONY FLYNN, A Long Time Businessman in PNG Passes On in His Adopted Home Town of Goroka

 

LONG TIME BUSINESSMAN PASSES ON

Post Courier - January 06, 2023

By SAMPSON BONAI

TONY FLYNN passed on quietly in his bed in his adopted home town of Goroka in the Eastern Highlands province where he first set foot 64 years ago as a young adventurous 21 year old.

Born Anthony Flynn in England on October 4, 1937, he spent his childhood there with his two younger siblings. His family left England for Australia in the early 1950s.

He lived with his family in Australia where he completed his education and trained as an electrician.

Anthony, known locally as Tony, took up his first employment with Jim Leahy soon after arriving from Australia to start his new life in PNG.

He left after a few years and took up another job at Asaroka Lutheran High School, still in Eastern Highlands, before he resigned and established his first business in Goroka.

The tall handsome Flynn in his prime of life set his eyes on a beautiful young lass Rose from Watabung in Chimbu Province and began courting her until they tied the knot in the early 1970s.

He later became one of the first expatriate person to be granted citizenship when the country gained Independence in 1975.

The late Flynn and his young family relocated to Lae in 1980 and worked at a plantation at Situm in Nawaeb district for two years before he relocated up to Wau in 1982. While in Wau, he worked with Biangai Development Corporation (BDC) and managed the Blue Mountain Coffee and the Kosali Plantation respectively.

His love for Wau soon grew roots where he decided to settle permanently. He resigned from Biangai Development Corporation and went straight into establishing his own private business.

The late Flynn ventured into gold buying business and branched out to Bulolo and Mumeng as well.

His company Nangamanga Ltd was the biggest supplier of alluvial gold to Metal Refinery Operations (MRO) in the 1990s.

He later established the first Gold Export Ltd in Lae and obtained the licence to export gold.

His company operations expanded and he rented a shop in Wau and employed many local people in various capacities as drivers, shop assistants, office clerks and gold buying clerks.

He was the supporter of the local businesses and was appointed as the business representative in Morobe Chamber of Commerce for many years.

He met and befriended hundreds of people in Wau, Bulolo and in Goroka and from all walks of life as his fame grew throughout Bulolo district as a successful businessman and a good citizen of the country. His love for the people and the country saw him contest the Bulolo Open seat in two national general elections in 2002 and 2007. He was the runner-up to the three term MP late Deputy Prime Minister and Bulolo MP Sam Basil in 2007 at the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) when it was first introduced to the country. The late Flynn and Rose had three children late Roy, late Esther and Keryn Hargreaves.

The late Flynn lived in Wau for 40 years before he got sick and was moved up to Goroka to be cared for by his daughter Keryn Hargreaves.

He was bedridden until he was called home to be with the Lord Jesus Christ on November 24.

His casket was lowered for the last time to his final resting place in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province in early December. He was 85 years old.

He is survived by his wife Rose, daughter Keryn, grand children and great grand children.

The people of Wau expressed overwhelming sadness at his passing and sent their condolences to his family members in Goroka.

“We remember you as a boss, friend, father and business partner to many of us while you were working and running your business in Wau for many years,” a former employee Majunai Kukubol said.

“Rest in eternal peace late Tony Flynn. We will cherish your fond memories for many years to come,” she said.