Malaita Provincial Capital of Auki came to a standstill on Monday as thousands packed the township to welcome Premier Daniel Suidani and his delegation home.
The massive grand homecoming welcome ceremony was dubbed as a historic and biggest ever to have been witnessed in Auki.
Premier Suidani and his advisor Celsus Talifilu have spent months in Australia and Taiwan on a life saving medical trip.
Following their arrival in the country, they successfully completed the 21 days quarantine and were released on Friday.
Yesterday the delegation finally returned to Auki to a huge crowd that gathered at the Auki wharf to welcome the delegation.
People gathered at the wharf hours before the arrival of Premier Suidani onboard MV Pelican Express around lunch time.
Both the old and new wharf were filled as people tried to get a glimpse of what many described as the most popular premier in Malaita’s history.
After disembarking from the boat premier and his delegation were garlanded and greeted by members of the MARA executive.
They were then led by a traditional dancing group out from Auki wharf under the escort of police and provincial security officers with cheers of emotion from the gathering public.
The premier and members of the MARA executive together with the Malaita public then walked from the Auki wharf to Auki Central Market for the formal welcome ceremony.
Outside the Auki Central market, the premier was asked to sit on a chair where he was lifted and carried on shoulders to enter the Auki market with escort from a traditional dancing group.
He was then led to the podium where he formally addressed the public.
Speaking to the crowd for the first time, Premier Suidani said he was excited to be home but not expecting such a huge welcome ceremony.
He thanked the Malaita public for showing their support in such a courageous way.
The premier said it was an emotional moment for him in his journey as a Premier of Malaita Province and quickly thanked God by saying it’s not by mistake but God’s plan for Malaita.
The premier said going out to get medical treatment overseas is not easy in the light of Covid-19 and thanked those who supported him in one way or the other which saw him recover from his sickness.
The premier thanked all Christians who prayed for his recovery, thanked his advisor Celsus Talifilu for sticking by his side all through, thanked Taiwan for the medical treatment, thanked MARA executive and administration for looking after the provincial affairs while he was away.
He then thanked the members of public who turned up in huge numbers to welcome him back home.
By WILSON SAENI
Auki News Bureau
