ROGER KEWA AVINAGA, who supplied many valuable insights on Papua New Guinea’s resources industry as the main columnist for PNG Business News since our first issue, passed away 15 May 2021 at Port Moresby General Hospital. He had just turned 51.
Born 5 May 1970 in Keakasa Village, Okapa in the Eastern Highlands, Roger was still in mourning for his wife Priscilla Nase Avinaga, who had passed away just 10 days prior. His family said Roger was ill for a short while before his passing.
The haus krai program for Priscilla was still in progress when the Avinaga family lost Roger. They have now organized a combined haus krai at Rogen Wato Avinaga’s residence at Kevaru Place, Angau Drive in Boroko. The program will officially start at 1 p.m. on 19 May 2021, as the family urged everyone to observe COVID-19 protocols.
Roger was an accomplished corporate and government executive and board director, having worked in the oil, gas, mining and energy sectors for over 20 years. He worked for The World Bank Group as a Resource Economist/Modeller, developing his in-depth knowledge, understanding, and experience of business/commercial environment, financing, project procurement and management, economic/financial modelling, fiscal and regulatory regimes.
He acquired these skills through dealing with oil/mining companies, investors, banks/lenders, multilateral institutions, governments and key stakeholders, in exploring new business opportunities, creating partnerships, joint ventures, farm-out, project approval process and initiation of major resource projects.
Roger was highly skilled in developing investment strategies, business plans and strategies, financing proposals, economic/financial modelling and assessment of projects, negotiating project agreements/contracts, managing risks, and writing government policies. He had demonstrable understanding of different segments of the industries from the upstream exploration and development, midstream, and downstream sector.
Roger began his career with the PNG Department of Petroleum and Energy as Senior Petroleum Economist, where he worked his way to become Assistant Director-Petroleum Policy and Acting Director Petroleum Division.
After serving 12 years, he left to join state-owned company Petromin PNG Holdings in 2008 as Manager for Commercial and Strategic Planning, where he was responsible for establishing the commercial and business development division. At Petromin, Roger also held several key positions, including Head of Commercial, New Ventures and Business Development.
Roger earned his Masters of Law (LLM) in Petroleum Finance and Taxation from the University of Dundee in the United Kingdom in 2003. He graduated Bachelor of Honours (International Relations), Second Class, Upper Level at the University of PNG in 1996, and finished his Bachelor of Arts at University of PNG in 1993.
PNG Business News deeply mourns Roger’s passing. We extend our condolences to his bereaved family and request our readers to pray for strength and comfort for the Avinagas during this time. For more information, please call Frexie Maneh at 74540145 or Kevu Sevendi at 74888384.
