Lini day hemi taem blong pipol i lukluk bak long laef blong leit Father Walter Lini we i lidim Vanuatu blong kasem fridom.
Wan Founding Papa mo Foma Politician, Sethy Regenvanu i talem long VBTC Nius se tete hemi makem 24 yia we leit Father Walter i ded long yia 1999.
“Lini dei hemi wan impoten dei long yia blong tinkbaot Father Walter Lini olsem wan lida we i lidim New Hebrides blong kasem Independens; Hemi wan taem blong pipol i lukluk bak mo tinkbaot wokbaot blong hem olsem wan lida blong kasem fridom. Esepeseli blong tinkbaot long taem we hemi lida, wanem nao hemi bin mekem, ol tinktink, aspiration blong hem we i givim pawa long wokbaot blong hem blong tekem yumi i kasem independens. Hemi taem tu blong yumi tinkbaot weta yumi tete i stil rod we hemi bin tekem ia o sapos yumi mestem. Mo sapos yumi mestem, from wanem nao yumi mestem? from tete i difren long hao mifala i wokbaot long bifo. So wanem nao pa yumi lanem long ol wokbaot blong hem wetem ol nara lida we oli bin faet strong from fridom ia blong mekem se kaontri ia i gro long strength to strength mo i no konfusen. From i kat plante samting we i kam aotsaed we i save konfusum yumi. So hemi impoten blong yumi sitaon blong learn mo tekem Vanuatu blong yumi i ko long foret,” Mr Regenvanu i talem.
“Hemia nao yumi kat Lini day; Hemi no dei we yumi ko mekem ol nara aktiviti mbe yumi stop mo tinktink, lukluk bak long wok blong Father Lini; Mo i no hem nomo mbe ol lida long liberation blong yumi so tete nao hemi givim opotuniti ia blong yumi tinkbaot olsem wokbaot blong bifo kasem naoia.
“So yumi lukluk se ol fasin ia i stret o yumi mestem rod lelbet. Sapos yumi mestem rod hemi pat blong laef. Mo yumi save impruv mo kontribut gud moa long kaontri blong yumi. ”
Mr Regenvanu i talem se toktok blong Leit Papa Lini we hemi talem ‘Respek hemi Honoroble’ i kat mining blong hem.
“Yumi mas rispek mo honarem ol nara pipol; Kivim jans long nara pipol blong oli save gro ap mo kontribut long laef we yumi stap long hem blong mekem se yumi save prospa,” Mr Regenvanu i talemaot.
Father Walter Lini i wan foma Anglican priest mo hemi fes Prime Minista taem Vanuatu i kasem fridom long 1980.
“Wan samting we mi talem bak long 20 yia long ded blong hem long 2019, mi talem se hemi impoten blong kavman blong Vanuatu i sponsarem wan buk abaot Father Lini mo ol colleague blong hem mo pem cost blong buk ia; Hemi moa gud from yumi no toktok nomo olsem ia mbe buk ia olgeta we bae oli raetem bae oli talem ol tru stori mo experience we oli kat abaot Father Lini mo kaontri ia. Buk ia bae hemi olsem wan impoten buk blong taem olsem ia yumi kobak long hem.
“Hemi impoten blong raetem buk blong ol difren steij long laef blong Vanuatu from bae i save givhan long ol difren generation blong ol learn mo gro wetem. Mo mi stil tink se hemi impoten blong kavman blong Vanautu i lukluk long hem tete.”
Leit Father Lini i born long Agatoa vilij long Pentecost aelan. Long saed blong mama blong hem, hemi kamaot long line blong hae jif Virasangvulu mo long saed blong papa, hemi kamaot long wan popula weaver, Nuenue mo semtaem hae jif Viralala.
Father Lini i statem skul long wan age blong faev taem hemi atendem Australia Missionary Skul long Lamalanga long Not Pentecost. Taem hemi vinis skul, Hemi wok olsem wan Anglican Diocesan long Lolowai, Ambae bifo hemi tekem Theological trening long St Peter’s College long Siota, Solomon Islands mo St Johns College, Auckland, New Zealand.
Afta long stadi long New Zealand, Lini wetem leit Donald Kalpokas mo John Bani i fomem wan New Hebrides Cultural Association mo lonjem wan mouthpiece newspaper, New Hebrides Viewpoint. Long taem ia, New Hebrides i rul by United Kingdom mo France. Afta long formation blong New Hebrides Cultural Association, Lini mo ol nara collegue blong hem i fomemNew Hebrides National Party (NHNP), wetem Father Lini i risponsibol blong pablishim niuspepa mo semtaem rikruitum ol pati memba long Ambae, Not Pentecost mo Maewo. Long 1974, Party Congres i elektem Father Lini olsem wan ful taem national Presiden blong Party wetem Fred Timakata olsem Vice Presiden. Long May 1974, Father Lini i adresem United Nations Committee mo singaot from independens blong New Hebrides long 1977.
Leit Father Lini i ded long February 21,1999.
