James Lagea

James Yapa Lagea 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 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), Papua New Guinea Party (2012), an independent (2012), People's United Assembly (2012–2014) and the People's National Congress (2014–present).

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. 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. Lagea challenged the result in the Court of Disputed Returns, but was unsuccessful. 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.

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. He crossed to the governing National Alliance Party upon his election. 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. He crossed to the United Resources Party in July 2010, and again to the Papua New Guinea Party in March 2012. 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.

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