John Guise
Sir John Guise, GCMG, KBE (29 August 1914 – 7 February 1991) was the first Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, which gained independence from Australia in 1975. Dr. Guise was a native Papua New Guinean and was a vocal supporter for independence. He served in the Department of Native Affairs during the 1950s, and served in the East Papua Legislative Council from 1961 to 1963. In 1964, he was elected to the House of Assembly, and went on to serve as acting Speaker of the House of Assembly of Papua and New Guinea from 1973 to 1975. He also served as minister of the interior. He was the first Governor-General of Papua New Guinea from 1975 to 1977. He resigned as Governor-General after only two years, so that he could run against Michael Somare for the office of Prime Minister, an election he lost.
He remained politically active and considered as a potential leader during the civil unrest after his term in office. Guise died on 7 February 1991. After his death, a sports stadium was named in his honour.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1972, made a Knight Commander of the order (KBE) on 6 June 1975, and appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) on 16 September 1975.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Kingston Critchley as High Commissioner of Papua New Guinea |
Governor-General of Papua New Guinea 1975-1977 |
Succeeded by Sir Tore Lokoloko |
References
- Lentz, Harris M., III. Heads of States and Governments. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 1994. ISBN 0-89950-926-6.