MP Biyama passes on

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
MIDDLE Fly MP Roy Biyama died from kidney failure on Saturday night at the Paradise Private Hospital in Port Moresby, a family member Brian Andrew said.
“He was admitted on Thursday night to receive treatment for his chronic kidney problem which worsened and he passed away at 11.30pm on Saturday night,” Andrew said.
“We brought his body to the funeral home at 3am this morning (yesterday). “He was suffering from kidney diseases for a long time and last year was admitted in a hospital in Australia for three months.”
Andrew said Biyama was 54 and from Balimo village, Middle Fly district, Western.
He is survived by his wife, eight children and eight grandchildren.
He was a businessman before successfully contesting the elections in 2002, and remained Middle Fly MP for four terms.
Prime Minister James Marape passed on his condolences to the family, friends, supporters and people of Middle Fly and Western.
Biyama was a member of Marape’s ruling Pangu Pati.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, supporters and people of Middle Fly and Western on this sad moment of the passing of Hon Biyama,” Marape said.
“They have lost a servant leader, a true man of the people who has served them faithfully since 2002.
“Biyama died doing what he loved and that was serving people.
“He first succumbed to illness after he had scorching blisters from an eight-hour walk in hot, tropical, low lands in his beloved Middle Fly area when he visited last March.
“Biyama walked on, working for his people where there was no road, much like many rural areas, and the blisters from his long walk, with an existing diabetic condition, led to illness and his eventual passing.”