Roy Biyama

Roy Biyama (3 August 1967 - 11 September 2021) was a Papua New Guinean politician.[1] He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2002 until his death, representing the electorate of Middle Fly Open. He was a member of four parties: the Papua New Guinea Revival Party, the People's Action Party, the United Resources Party and the People's National Congress. He served as Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (2003-2004), Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations (2004-2006) and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister (2006-2007) in the Somare government. He had also been Governor of Western Province since February 2017.[2][3]

Biyama was educated at Biula Community School, Awaba Secondary School and the Kiunga and Balimo Vocational Centres, where he studied as a motor mechanic and in electrical studies. He was a member of the Balimo Town Urban Council from 1999 to 2002. He was a businessman prior to entering politics.[1][4]

He was elected to the National Parliament at the 2002 election for the Papua New Guinea Revival Party, but subsequently joined the People's Action Party.[5][6] He has been critical of logging projects that he viewed as providing little benefit to landowners and of the Ok Tedi mine.[7][8][9] He was promoted to Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology in the Somare government in August 2003 until he resigned amidst conflict between PAP and Prime Minister Somare's National Alliance on 18 May 2004. However, after further turmoil, he was reappointed to the ministry the same day as Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations.[1][10][11] In August 2004, he supported Brian Pulayasi's successful challenge for the PAP leadership, ousting Moses Maladina.[12] On 23 June 2006, he was demoted to Minister for State Assisting the Prime Minister.[1]

Biyama was re-elected for the United Resources Party at the 2007 election.[1] In May 2012, the Roy Biyama Building, a government office building in Balimo was opened in his honour.[13] Having crossed to the newly-governing People's National Congress after Somare's ouster in 2011, he was re-elected for the PNC at the 2012 election.[14] In the parliament of 2017, he was deputy chairman of the Culture and Tourism Permanent Committee and the Administrative Services Referral Committee and a member of the Emergency Permanent Committee and the Plans and Estimate Permanent Committee.[1] He also assumed the role of Governor of Western Province in February 2017 following the conviction and imprisonment of Ati Wobiro, which fell to Biyama as the province's only remaining MP following a suspension and a death in the other two Western seats.[2]

Biyama died of kidney failure on 11 September 2021.[15]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Hon. Roy Biyama, MP". National Parliament of Papua New Guinea. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Only MP in Western Province elected Governor". Loop PNG. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Nominations By Electorate" (PDF). PNG Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Western votes in team of new faces". PNG Post-Courier. 29 July 2002.
  5. ^ "Biyama wins Middle Fly". PNG Post-Courier. 25 July 2002.
  6. ^ "Four dumped". PNG Post Courier. 4 August 2003.
  7. ^ "Push for end to Aiambak". PNG Post Courier. 25 September 2002.
  8. ^ "MPs: Ok Tedi mine must close in 2013". PNG Post Courier. 25 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Ok Tedi mine immunity removed". PACNEWS. 19 September 2013.
  10. ^ "PM sacks PNC and Maladina". PNG Post Courier. 19 May 2004.
  11. ^ "Maladina denies part in scheme". PNG Post Courier. 19 May 2004.
  12. ^ "PAP leadership wrangle". PNG Post Courier. 5 August 2004.
  13. ^ "PM opens Roy Biyama house". PNG Post Courier. 22 May 2012.
  14. ^ "NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2012". PNG Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ^ "MP Biyama passes on". The National. 13 September 2021.