Richard Mendani (16 August 1967 – 20 March 2021) was aPapua New Guinean politician. He was a member of theNational Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2012 until his death in 2021, representing the electorate ofKerema Open inGulf Province.[1][2]
Mendani was educated at Kanabea Primary School, Kerema High School andSogeri National High School, subsequently gaining a Bachelor of Economics from theUniversity of Papua New Guinea in 1991 and a Diploma in Economic Policy from theNational Research Institute in 1992. Prior to entering politics, Mendani was a businessman and managed his own consultancy firm.[1]
He was elected to the National Parliament for thePNG Country Party at the2012 election.[3] He left the Country Party in 2013 and joined theUnited Resources Party.[4] 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".[5][6] In May 2016, he crossed from the government to the opposition, leaving the United Resources Party for thePapua New Guinea Party, but recontested his seat at the2017 election for theNational Alliance Party.[7][2]
He died fromCOVID-19 on 20 March 2021 at the age of 53 in Pacific International Hospital,Port Moresby during theCOVID-19 pandemic in Papua New Guinea.[8]