Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00a.m.
Jo and Gareth Morgan
By Carly Flynn
Celebrity investment adviser Gareth Morgan almost choked on a razor-like crocodile bone on a trip to the Solomon Islands recently.
The bone was lodged in his throat overnight before he was flown to Honiara, where it was removed with gardening equipment.
Mr Morgan and his wife Joanne are used to dealing with all sorts of different cultures, so when a crocodile was captured in the village of Kuzi they knew it would be rude to refuse it when it was served that night for dinner.
"It got me on the first intake, and the bone lodged in my throat and I had to leave the beer," says Mr Morgan.
"We did think you were being a bit of a drama queen," says Ms Morgan.
The bone was more like a blade, and the couple were a two-hour flight from medical help.
"We were out in the garden with me doing the Heimlich manoeuvre," says Ms Morgan. "He was coughing and was quite distressed."
After an anxious night, Mr Morgan was flown out to the MASH-like New Zealand Military Hospital in Honiara.
"I think they thought they'd be able to get it out with a bit of a 'there, there, relax,'" says Ms Morgan, "but Gareth didn't respond well to that and had to be put right under."
As Unicef ambassadors and donors, the Morgans were visiting the islands to see what difference their money could make. What they found was a country that obviously needed more hospitals, but was also ravaged by environmental and political problems.
The Solomon Islands are fast running out of natural resources. International logging companies have torn up the landscape and the coastline is littered with foreign fishing vessels. The challenge for major donors like the Morgans is ensuring their money goes towards setting up more sustainable community projects.
The Morgans will fund 40 new schools for the Western Province region, and will return next year with other Unicef donors to make sure they are happy with how the money has been spent.
But next time they are back, crocodile won't be on the menu.
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