Richard Mendani
{{Short description|Papua New Guinean politician (1967–2021)}}
Richard Mendani (16 August 1967 – 20 March 2021) was a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2012 until his death in 2021, representing the electorate of Kerema Open in Gulf Province.{{cite web | url=http://www.parliament.gov.pg/index.php/member-of-parliament/bio/view/kerema-district | title=Hon. Richard Mendani, MP | publisher=National Parliament of Papua New Guinea | accessdate=15 May 2017 | archive-date=18 July 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718011835/http://www.parliament.gov.pg/index.php/member-of-parliament/bio/view/kerema-district | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.pngec.gov.pg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/nominations.pdf?sfvrsn=0 | title=Nominations By Electorate | publisher=PNG Electoral Commission | accessdate=15 June 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712121652/http://www.pngec.gov.pg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/nominations.pdf?sfvrsn=0 | archive-date=12 July 2017 | url-status=dead }}
Biography
Mendani was educated at Kanabea Primary School, Kerema High School and Sogeri National High School, subsequently gaining a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Papua New Guinea in 1991 and a Diploma in Economic Policy from the National Research Institute in 1992. Prior to entering politics, Mendani was a businessman and managed his own consultancy firm.
He was elected to the National Parliament for the PNG Country Party at the 2012 election.{{cite news | title=Kavo retains seat | work=PNG Post Courier | date=30 July 2012 }} He left the Country Party in 2013 and joined the United Resources Party.{{cite news | title=Gelu urged to stay out of party issues | work=PNG Post-Courier | date=19 October 2015 }} In 2015, he lashed out at the impact of corruption in the province, stating that there was a breakdown of capacity due to misuse of funds for personal interests leaving poor people in poverty, with "airstrips, schools and health centres all [...] closed and rundown", while the "people behind the scenes" are "booking hotel rooms, travelling overseas and living in luxury". In facing what he termed a "breakdown in the system of delivering basic services in Gulf Province", he described his experience of trying to deliver services as "painful and challenging".{{cite news | title=MP: Gulf survives on borrowed money, time | work=PNG Post-Courier | date=26 March 2015 }}{{cite news | title=MP: Breakdown in Gulf services | work=PNG Post-Courier | date=2 April 2015 }} In May 2016, he crossed from the government to the opposition, leaving the United Resources Party for the Papua New Guinea Party, but recontested his seat at the 2017 election for the National Alliance Party.{{cite news | title=Kerema MP Richard Mendani joins Opposition | work=PNG Post Courier | date=23 May 2016 }}
He died from COVID-19 on 20 March 2021 at the age of 53 in Pacific International Hospital, Port Moresby during the COVID-19 pandemic in Papua New Guinea.{{cite web|url=https://news.pngfacts.com/2021/03/png-member-of-parliament-dies-of-covid.html|title=PNG Member of Parliament Dies of COVID-19|work=Papua New Guinea Today|date=20 March 2021|access-date=20 March 2021}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendani, Richard}}
Category:Members of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
Category:United Resources Party politicians
Category:Papua New Guinea Party politicians
Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Papua New Guinea