Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) lost both a dear friend and esteemed colleague with the untimely passing of Eric Tapakau, on 19 May 2019, after a brief illness.
Eric, 44, was a highly regarded member of our Bougainville team having joined the company in September of 2017 as a local media and communications adviser. As a testament to his capabilities and leadership qualities he was quickly promoted to a senior project officer position just four months later.
One of Eric’s great qualities was his natural affinity with people and his ability to effectively engage with those at all levels of the community. He was deeply committed to the betterment of Bougainville and its people and had earned widespread respect.
Those who knew him best, including former work colleagues and school friends recalled how people loved being in Eric’s company. He was warm and welcoming and, also possessed a quick wit and wicked sense of humour. ET, as he was affectionately known, was able to lighten the mood of any room no matter the situation and it was often hard to keep a straight face when he was around.
Eric was born on 28th February 1975 in Sideronsi Village, Bougainville, and recounted a happy and active childhood growing up around the Panguna mine operations where he was often entertained by simply watching mine-related activities, including the comings and goings of large trucks, other vehicles and the people they carried.
Eric attended Sipatako Primary and several different high schools, including De La Salle in Port Moresby where he enjoyed playing rugby league as a willing front rower. He was always a passionate rugby league fan with sworn allegiances to the Penrith Panthers and NSW Blues in Australian state of origin. Eric also loved music particularly hard rock and heavy metal with Metallica among his favourite bands.
Always inquisitive and interested in current affairs Eric was accepted into the University of Papua New Guinea upon completing his secondary schooling and undertook a Bachelor of Journalism and a Diploma in Media Studies. He was a proud and worthy recipient of a Bougainville Copper Foundation scholarship which assisted him in his tertiary studies.
Eric’s education provided the foundation for a successful and rewarding career which commenced with a graduate position with the PNG Banking Corporation as a marketing officer. He then joined the Post Courier newspaper where he served as a business editor as well as Bougainville bureau chief between 2002 and 2010. During his time in journalism, Eric gained a reputation as a hard-working and enthusiastic newsman who was always on top of the latest story.
After his eight years with the Post Courier, Eric took on a public relations role with the Mineral Resources Development Company and, also served as the public affairs and media coordinator at Hides Gas Development Company where he made many close friends, working with people from village through to government levels.
In 2017 he returned to his beloved Bougainville and began working with BCL which benefited greatly from the connections and relationships he forged across the community, including everyone from landowners in the Panguna project area, to business people, government officials and other community leaders.
Eric was a terrific team member who thoroughly enjoyed his engagement work in Central Bougainville working alongside BCL’s other project and village liaison officers. He believed the vision of Panguna’s future redevelopment was a worthy one to pursue due to its potential to make Bougainville a more prosperous place.
Eric got great satisfaction out of helping to implement programs that made a positive difference to the lives of Bougainvilleans whether it be in sport, education, health or local industry development.
He was a trusted and respected voice and skilful communicator whose advocacy and ability to connect with local people will be sorely missed.
A loving family man, Eric is survived by his wife Rose and their five children Anthony, Sylvia, Emmanuel, Zoe and Rosil of whom he was extremely proud. His parents Anthony and Patricia mourn the loss of their son being the eldest of brothers Raymond, Kenneth and sisters Shirleen, Natasha and Ireen. A service was held at the family home at Waigani Heights on Monday 27 May 2019 followed by a funeral service at Tunuru in Arawa on Wednesday 29 May 2019. The late Eric will be laid to rest in Nairobi Village.
Gone too soon but he will never be forgotten.