Ugi Biritu

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Ugi Biritu
Ugi Biritu.png
Member of the House of Assembly
In office
1964–1967
Succeeded by
ConstituencyHenganofi
Personal details
Bornc. 1937
, Territory of New Guinea
Died15 March 1967
Goroka, Papua and New Guinea

Ugi Biritu (c. 1937 – 15 March 1967) was a Papua New Guinean politician. He served as a member of the House of Assembly between 1964 and his death in 1967.

Biography[]

Biritu was born around 1937 in Mobei.[1] He was baptised into the Lutheran Church between 1956 and 1958. He initially trained to be a teacher, before spending a year at the Medical Training School in Goroka, qualifying as an aid post orderly.[1] He worked for the Public Works Department as a labourer and plumber, before becoming a peanut farmer in 1959.[1] Two years later he moved to to work as an interpreter for the Department of Native Affairs.[2]

Biritu contested the Henganofi constituency in the 1964 elections. Although he was illiterate, he was the only candidate to speak almost every language and dialect spoken in the constituency.[1] received over 4,000 more first preference votes than Biritu, but Biritu received almost all the second preference votes from the other three candidates' voters, overtaking Azanifa on the fourth count.[3][1] After being elected, he expanded his agricultural activities to start farming coffee, potatoes, cattle and goats.[1]

Biritu died of an epileptic fit in Goroka in March 1967.[1] His funeral was attended by more than 2,000 people.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Edward P. Wolfers (1967) Death of a Politician Institute of Current World Affairs
  2. ^ Another New Guinea by-election—but only just! Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1967, p12
  3. ^ Edward P. Wolfers (1967) Politics in a Primitive Area Institute of Current World Affairs
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