My friend Frazer Bule passed away last Saturday. He was head of agricultural research in Vanuatu and one of the most knowledgeable and experienced genetic resources scientists in the Pacific. I first met him in 1985 when we spent some hours in a forest clearing on Espiritu Santo characterizing taro with Grahame Jackson. He was a great person. That’s him on the left below, buying kava for a bunch of us a few years ago in Port Vila. He’ll be much missed, not least by me.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Luigi – like you I lost a very good and true friend too. The Pacific islands and PAPGREN as a whole have lost a great scientist . May god bless our good friend Frazer soul.
Frazer was unique and as such is a huge loss to Vanuatu, to the Pacific and to the world. I met him in the early 90s when I first came to the Pacific and he was so open and friendly and always willing to try and help where he could in any project. He was currently sourcing some unique yams for us for our climate ready collection – his genetic resources knowledge was amazing. He was a truly great person and if we had more people like Frazer in the world it would be a far better place. He will never be forgotten in the Pacific.
Will miss you heaps Frazer
I am so sad today, it’s terrible. I met Brother Frazer at the PAPGREN meeting in 2006 and still I want to share his smile, my Souvenir.
Will miss you brother Frazer…
Frazer Bule will surely be missed. I first met him at USP Alafua way way back then, he was a star soccer player, and the USP soccer team wud always win games when the dazzling Vanuatu students play…and enjoying a well-deserved Vailima beer. He had a great sense of humour and was well-liked by both students and academic staff, not to mention the local village maidens! I wud meet up with him many more times in the years following his Alafua days at regional meetings or visits to Vanuatu.
You will surely be missed ol’fren, hv a great trip!
Very saddened to learn that Frazer Bule has passed away.
Frazer was a wonderful, friendly, jovial ambassador for Vanuatu at the regional meetings (where I had the good fortune to spend some time with Frazer).
Pacific and Vanuatu agriculture, family and friends will miss you very much.
Lex Thomson
This is a very sad moment for me as a very dear friend of Frazer. The last RPFS-FAO meeting in Samoa, was the last and the best time for all of us. Yet he was very sick but his personality and character did enlighten the meeting.
I knew his condition and always offer him my room to take his rest, during the meeting. I wish I could do more to him
God bless you Frazer wish your soul the very best as you wait for hos coming to call you in that great morning
Lookim you bro
I am truly sorry to hear of this. Fraser was a very very dear friend who truly blessed mylife. my sincere condolences to his wife and children and family.
will miss him very much
We here at the SPRH at usp will sorely miss this dear wantok friend of ours, especillay the hospitality given when visiting Vanuatu. Yes there is never a dull moment with Frazer around. I last met Frazer at Nadi International airport while he was on his way for the RPFS-FAO meeting in Samoa. No signs of sickness and we spent a good half hour joking away.
So long, bon voyage!!!
I received the news of the death of my friend Frazer with shock. It is really a big loss for all of us who acknowledge his kind character and professional qualities. He made a huge contribution to agricultural sector in Vanuatu and in the Pacific.
Bon voyage, ami.
Such sad and shocking news. Frazer will be truly missed by his many friends and colleagues in the Pacific and elsewhere. He was a tireless worker for Vanuatu and the Pacific and had a long and important association with many of the collaborative regional projects such as PRAP,PAPGREN and DSAP. He was a real ambassador for the region and a great colleague.
Indeed, it is a very very sad news. Frazer was a very good friend and he is going to be missed by every PAPGRENers. His smiling face and his unforgettable mood is truly missed by anyone who knows him.
We miss you dear Frazer!
I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear about Frazer. He was such a vibrant, likeable and positive person who I very much enjoyed working with in my trips to the PICs and Vanuatu. He was a truly good man who was an inspiration to many. I have several memories of him but one which immediately comes to mind is his “Pentacost” kava place near his work station. May his soul rest in peace and may God comfort his family.
The sad news hit also me badly. Frazer was a friend! On 27 May we had our last kava together – at the Chief’s Nakamal in Vila. We were sitting with an old man/catholic priest from Pentecoast and Frazer had deep talks with him in his local language. It was obvious that Frazer suffered from ‘something’ but that he would leave us so early is shocking and so sad.
Being now back in Rome many Pacific memories come back and in many of them Frazer features — smiling and standing in the middle of an agro-foresty plot. It will be strange to go back to Vanuatu, Frazer will be badly missed!
Sad news. I met Frazer at the extension summit in Tonga. A man full of wisdom, agricultural knowledge and skills, sense of humor and a great smile. Ke kmal mesulang. May his soul rest in peace.
The news of Frazer’s passing away came as a shock. I had the pleasure to work with him in a root crops research and development project on Santo in Vanuatu from 1985 till 1988. During those years he became such a good personal friend of mine that I asked him to be the godfather of my daughter. Going on duty travel with him was always a bit like having holidays. After Vanuatu, while working in Papua New Guinea and travelling at regular intervals in the Pacific region, including Vanuatu, we always met up. To say that he always had a great sense of responsibility and humour, and a big smile is an understatement. He certainly will be missed and not least by me.