Jean Kekedo discusses the need for university graduates prior to independence and her immediate appointment in 1973 as Director of Village Development. She describes how within six months she was appointed deputy head of the Prime Ministers Department and discusses her administration skills learnt from the Australian administration.
Matilda Pilacapio states that she was disappointed the country did not have 10 years transition from self government to independence, training public servants and others. She describes the fear of bloodshed prior to independence and her father noticing that whites and mixed race people were leaving the country.
Matilda Pilacapio states that she learnt about independence while working for Burns Philp. She recalls the Milne Bay politician Alice Wedega who was in the national government. She recalls that she hoped that the white people would not leave at independence, and that there would not be bloodshed as in Africa.
Biga Lebasi remembers that he first heard about independence at Sogeri. He recalls that due to family circumstances he joined the headmaster's family as a domestic where he had access to Australian newspapers.
Charles Lepani discusses the confidence at Independence and relates an anecdote when the visiting Sir John Crawford congratulated the group in 1978 post Independence.
Charles Lepani reflects on the mood and general sense of optimism and enthusiasm in the country at Independence. He describes borrowing a Malayasian model of a national coordination centre for planning with Cabinet and the level of cooperation between Cabinet, politicians and bureaucrats, that he claims has not been the case since.
