Gumine mourns passing of Bire

FORMER Gumine MP and state minister Delba Bire passed away over the weekend in Kundiawa, Chimbu.
His passing has sent the people of Gumine district into mourning as Bire was a respected leader.
During his term in parliament, he served as justice, correctional services and liquor licensing minister.
He represented the people of Gumine from 1977 to 1982 and was instrumental in bringing in changes to the lives of the people.
Elder son Ben Bire said his dad was a former police instructor based at the Kilakila police barracks.
After resigning from the police, he became a coffee buyer and contested the then Waiyer-Kundiawa seat which was won by late Joseph Teine.
He finished as runner up.
When Bire’s Dom tribe was separated from Waiye-Kundiawa, he contested the Gumine seat in 1977 and won.
He was from the Goluku clan of Dom tribe in the Degine local level government (LLG) area and is survived by eight children, wife and many grand children.
His body has been taken to Goroka Funeral Home, awaiting funeral arrangement.
Minister for Lands and Physical Planning and Gumine MP Lucas Dekena passed on his condolences to the immediate family of late Bire especially his children and grand children.
Dekena said the late leader was a true father of the people of Gumine, Chimbu and PNG who served the people with distinction.