By PHILIP ENGLISH
After four months keeping law and order on the frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, Master-at-arms Lyndon Cleaver was back in Auckland yesterday to a whole new regime - caring for his newborn daughter, Georgia.
In keeping with the modern Navy and its emphasis on family, Master-at-arms Cleaver flew home about 12 weeks ago for Georgia's birth.
But that was a brief visit. Yesterday, quality time with wife Yvette and little Georgia beckoned as he went ashore for some leave along with others of Te Kaha's 157 crew.
The Anzac frigate left Auckland in May before the Fiji coup. When George Speight invaded Fiji's Parliament, Te Kaha was in Vila. Weeks later, while in Manila, the frigate was ordered to Honiara after political instability hit the Solomon Islands.
A visit to Cairns and exercises off the north of Australia followed before Te Kaha was back at anchor off Honiara late last month to host two weeks of peace talks between Solomons rivals the Isatabu Freedom Movement and the Malaita Eagle Force.
For Master-at-arms Cleaver, the talks - held under an awning on Te Kaha's flight deck with furniture from a local hotel - meant keeping the two factions apart before they arrived on board, searching the participants for weapons and providing escorts and sentries.
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