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Paias Wingti (born 1951) is a Papua New Guinean political figure. He served as the prime minister of Papua New Guinea between 1985 and 1988, and again from 1992 to 1994. Wingti is a member of the Jika Tribe of the Western Highlands province. While doing his final year in Economics at the University of Papua New Guinea, he stood for election in 1977, winning to become a member of the Hagen Open in the country's National Parliament. In 1985, as leader of the People's Democratic Movement (which had broken away from the Pangu Party), he became the youngest Prime Minister in the Commonwealth when Michael Somare lost a confidence vote. Julius Chan, who would himself become Prime Minister, served as his deputy. In 1987 Wingti returned to power with a slender majority of three votes. He announced a more independent foreign policy, attempting to enhance relations with the Soviet Union, USA, Japan and China. He lost a motion of confidence in 1988 with changes in the shifting coalition but returned for a further two-year stint in 1992. Wingti continues to represent the Western Highlands in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, although he now represents the provincial-level electorate as opposed to the Hagen constituency. He has been the governor of Western Highlands province since August 13, 2002, and had previously served in that position from 1995 to 1997.
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