James Lagea

Last updated

James Yapa Lagea (born 4 February 1963) is a Papua New Guinea politician. He has been a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007, representing the electorate of Kagua-Erave Open. He has been Vice-Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS in the government of Peter O'Neill since August 2012. He has variously been a member of the PNG Conservative Party (2007), National Alliance (2007–2010), United Resources Party (2010–2012) and Papua New Guinea Party (2012); although formally sitting in parliament as an independent during his second term, he has been prominently aligned with the People's United Assembly (2012–2014) and the People's National Congress (2014–present). [1] [2]

Lagea was educated at Kagua Primary School, Mendi High School, Keravat National High School and the Institute of Public Administration, where he attained a diploma in social development. He was a community development advisor for the Southern Highlands provincial administration before entering politics. [1] Lagea first contested the Kagua-Erave seat at the 2002 election on behalf of the People's Progress Party, when voting in Southern Highlands Province was cancelled due to widespread violence. He again contested the supplementary election in 2003, but lost to incumbent People's Democratic Movement MP David Basua. [3] [4] Lagea challenged the result in the Court of Disputed Returns, but was unsuccessful. [5] Lagea served as the chairperson of the organising committee for the celebrations surrounding the 30th anniversary of Papua New Guinean independence in Southern Highlands during 2005. [6]

Lagea contested the Kagua-Erave seat for a second time at the 2007 election as the candidate of the fledgling Papua New Guinea Conservative Party and was successful, defeating Basua. [7] He crossed to the governing National Alliance Party upon his election. [8] In his first term, he was chairman of the Citizenship Committee and the Parliamentary Referral Committee on Lands and Environment and a member of the Parliamentary Referral Committee on Health and Family Welfare. [1] [9] He crossed to the United Resources Party in July 2010, and again to the Papua New Guinea Party in March 2012. [10] [11] Lagea was re-elected at the 2012 election, which he formally contested as an independent, and joined the People's United Assembly party after the election. [12]

He was appointed Vice-Minister for Health in August 2012. [13] In August 2013, the National Court dismissed a legal challenge to his 2012 re-election, but referred him to the Ombudsman Commission for investigation of potential misconduct in office. [14] In November 2013, he strongly condemned tribal fighting in Kagua that killed seventeen people and provided K$50,000 funding for police operations in its aftermath. [15] He again called for an end to election-related tribal fighting in April 2014, pointing out that Kagua was "deserted" as a result and that it was severely impeding service delivery in the area. [16] [17] In July 2014, he was faced with responding to widespread flooding which rendered thousands of villagers in his electorate homeless, and dedicated K$250,000 to relief funding. [18] [19]

In October 2014, he crossed to the governing People's National Congress party. [12] The Ombudsman Commission referred Lagea to the Public Prosecutor in January 2015 over issues around failing to furnish financial returns. [20] A leadership tribunal found him guilty in August 2015 and suspended him from office until acquittal; however, this did not take effect as he had provided the returns in the interim. [21] He is recontesting the 2017 election for the People's National Congress. [22]

Related Research Articles

The People's Labour Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea.

Southern Highlands Province Place in Papua New Guinea

Southern Highlands is a province in Papua New Guinea. Its provincial capital is the town of Mendi. According to Papua New Guinea's national 2011 census, the total population of Southern Highlands is 515,511 spread across 15,089 square kilometers (5,826 sq mi).

This is a list of members of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2007 as elected at the 2002 election.

Benjamin Poponawa is a Papua New Guinea politician. He has been a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since July 2007, representing the electorate of Tambul-Nebilyer Open. He was initially elected as an independent, but immediately joined the then-governing National Alliance upon his election.

Isaac Joseph is a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a New Generation Party member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from July 2007 until 2012, representing the electorate of Mendi Open.

The United Resources Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea.

The PNG Conservative Party was a political party in Papua New Guinea.

Ezekiel Anisi was a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from August until October 2012, when he was unseated by the National Court, and from a December 2013 by-election until his death, representing the electorate of Ambunti-Dreikikir Open in East Sepik Province. He was the youngest MP in Papua New Guinea.

The People's United Assembly is a political party in Papua New Guinea.

Robert Atiyafa is a Papua New Guinean politician. A former Premier of Eastern Highlands Province under the former provincial government system, he has been a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since 2012, representing Henganofi Open, first as an independent and then later for the People's National Congress. He has been Minister for Police in the government of Peter O'Neill since February 2014.

Benny Allan is a Papua New Guinean politician. He has been a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since 2002, representing the electorate of Unggai-Bena Open, variously as an independent (2002) and for the United Resources Party (2002-2012) and People's National Congress (2012-present). He has been Minister for Lands and Physical Planning in the government of Peter O'Neill since August 2012. Allan previously served as Minister for Environment and Conservation under Michael Somare from 2007 to 2011.

Francis Awesa is a Papua New Guinean politician. A former Premier of the Southern Highlands under the old provincial government system, he was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2007 to 2017, representing the electorate of Imbonggu Open. A Papua New Guinea Party member in his first term, he subsequently switched to the People's National Congress after PNC leader Peter O'Neill became Prime Minister in 2011. He was Minister for Transport, Works and Civil Aviation (2011), Minister for Transport and Works (2011-2012) and Minister for Works and Implementation (2012-2017) in the government of Peter O'Neill.

Camillus Dangma Bongoro is a Papua New Guinean politician. He was an independent member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2012 to 2017, representing the electorate of Kerowagi Open, although he was associated with the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party for several years. He was the chairman of the Culture and Tourism Permanent Committee and a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, the Public Works Permanent Committee, and the HIV/AIDS Advocacy Referral Committee. He also became chairman of the Tourism Advisory Board in January 2016. Dangma was a businessman prior to entering politics, and had unsuccessfully contested the Kerowagi seat six times prior to his 2012 victory. He was defeated by Bari Palma at the 2017 election.

Roy Biyama was a Papua New Guinean politician. 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.

Robert Sandan Ganim is a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2012 to 2017, representing the electorate of Wabag Open for the People's Party (2012-2017) and the People's National Congress (2017).

Sam Basil Papua New Guinea politician (1969–2022)

Samuel H. Basil was a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2007, representing the electorate of Bulolo Open, until his death in 2022. From 8 June 2019, to August 2019 Basil served as the Treasurer of Papua New Guinea.

Jeffery Kuave is a Papua New Guinean politician. He has been a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since 2012, representing the electorate of Lufa Open for the PNG Country Party (2012–2013) and People's National Congress (2013–present).

Tobias Kulang

Tobias Thomas Kulang is a Papua New Guinean politician. He has been a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since August 2011, representing the electorate of Kundiawa-Gembogl Open in Chimbu Province for the PNG Constitutional Democratic Party (2011–2013), People's Progress Party (2013–2015) and People's National Congress (2015–2017). He was a prominent and outspoken member of the opposition before defecting to the government in November 2013; he served as Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture in the government of Peter O'Neill.

Julie Soso

Julie Soso Akeke is a Papua New Guinean politician. She was the Governor of Eastern Highlands Province from 2012 to 2017.

Kagua-Erave F.C. Association football club from Kagua-Erave region of PNG

Kagua-Erave FC, sometimes stylised as Kagua Erave FC, is a semi-professional association football club based in the Kagua-Erave District in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The club was founded in 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Hon. James Yapa Lagea, MP". National Parliament of Papua New Guinea. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. ↑ "Nominations By Electorate" (PDF). PNG Electoral Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  3. ↑ Thomas, Theo. "Re-poll in Imbonggu". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier , May 16, 2003.
  4. ↑ Alphonse, Andrew. "Agiru: SHP will see changes". The National , August 31, 2007.
  5. ↑ Taime, Mal. "Basua case thrown out". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier , September 8, 2004.
  6. ↑ Tiptip, Nikints. "SHP celebrates with allocation". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier , September 20, 2005.
  7. ↑ "95 candidates declared". The National , July 30, 2007.
  8. ↑ Nicholas, Isaac. "MoA to govern". The National , August 6, 2007.
  9. ↑ Nicholas, Isaac. "Parliament appoints committees". The National , September 21, 2007.
  10. ↑ "One MP confirms, another denies". PNG Post-Courier. 19 July 2010.
  11. ↑ "Four of Somare's boys join Namah". PNG Post Courier. 2 March 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Lagea joins ruling party". PNG Post Courier. 17 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Gore sworn in as one of 12 Vice Ministers". PNG Post Courier. 24 August 2012.
  14. ↑ "Tulapi to challenge court decision". PNG Post Courier. 8 August 2013.
  15. ↑ "Grenade blast victims laid to rest". PNG Post Courier. 22 November 2013.
  16. ↑ "MP: People's bad habits hinder services". PNG Post Courier. 17 April 2014.
  17. ↑ "Kagua deserted due to law, order issues". PNG Post-Courier. 17 April 2014.
  18. ↑ "Thousands homeless after floods". PNG Post-Courier. 22 July 2014.
  19. ↑ "Flood-stricken villages get help". PNG Post-Courier. 28 July 2014.
  20. ↑ "Watchdog refers leader". PNG Post Courier. 22 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "Lagea free man despite charges". PNG Post Courier. 11 August 2015.
  22. ↑ "O'Neill announces PNC candidates". PACNEWS. 19 April 2017.
National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
Preceded by Member for Kagua-Erave Open
2007–present		Incumbent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.