The Legacy of being an ex-Aiyuran will live on - A tribute to late Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, former SRC President of Aiyura National High School

Once an Aiyuran, always an Aiyuran

by FINKEWA ZURECNUOC - AIYURA National High School - Former & Current Students Forum - (Facebook group)

This is the story of another ex Aiyura who made it into the pinnacles of governance in Papua New Guinea.

Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc attended ANHS from 1978 to 1979. He came to Aiyura from Goroka High School. He was the SRC president in 1979. 

After leaving Aiyura, he attended the UPNG School of Law between 1980 and 1983 and the Legal Training Institute in 1984 and was admitted to the bar at the end of 1984.

He was employed by the Morobe Provincial government soon after being admitted to the bar. He was engaged with the MPG Legal Services and worked under Tracy Doherty ( later Justice). Those of you who studied law have sure read of some of his cases. A specific area he practised in was Child Law. In this work he had put many mixed-raced children (now adults) in contact with their fathers and inheritance. One of his case was that involving a German national being summoned by the courts in Munich at the request of the District Court of Lae.

In September 1989 the Morobe Provincial Government was suspended and he was elevated from being a legal officer to the position of Administrator till March 1991. He took the books of MPG in red to black.

He was then appointed as Morobe Provincial Secretary. In 1997 he was appointed the Deputy Administrator of Morobe and in 1999 appointed Morobe Provincial Administrator. 

One highlight during his term as administrator was the MPG taking the national government to court over GST. The courts ruled in favour of the MPG. 

In 2008 he was appointed the Secretary for Provincial and Local Level Government. He did not complete his term in the above position because as soon as he got to Waigani, he was appointed to be the Chief Secretary to the government, initially as acting then confirmed to the position. He retired from the public service in a February 2016.

Photos: Sir Mana as SRC President in Aiyura 1979 and as Chief Secretary to the government 2015.