Koloa Talake
Koloa Fineaso Talake (7 June 1934 – 26 May 2008)[1] was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He represented the constituency of Vaitupu in the Parliament of Tuvalu from 1993. He served as Minister of Finance (1993-96) and was the prime minister for a short period of time.[2]
Koloa Fineaso Talake | |
|---|---|
| 7th Prime Minister of Tuvalu | |
| In office 14 December 2001 – 2 August 2002 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor-General | Tomasi Puapua |
| Preceded by | Faimalaga Luka |
| Succeeded by | Saufatu Sopoanga |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 June 1934 Vaitupu, Gilbert and Ellice Islands |
| Died | 26 May 2008 (aged 73) Auckland, New Zealand |
Previous to his political career he was the auditor of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony (1973-75), then auditor (1976-77) and finance secretary (1977-78) of Tuvalu.[3]
As a member of parliament he moved the vote of no confidence that forced Prime Minister Bikenibeu Paeniu to resign in 1999.[3]
Prime Minister of Tuvalu
Talake served as the seventh Prime Minister of Tuvalu for nine months, 14 December 2001 – 2 August 2002, after defeating Faimalaga Luka in a vote of no confidence.[4]
Talake was defeated in elections in 2002.[5]
Significant issues during premiership
In that time, he negotiated the sale of that country's Internet domain name, .tv, to an American company in order to bring an income to his resource-poor country.
In 2002, he coordinated an effort, together with the leaders of Kiribati and Maldives to sue the governments of the United States and Australia for failing to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and for their greenhouse gas emissions, which the leaders claimed, resulted in rising sea levels that would eventually flood their countries.[6][2]
Succession and later life
Talake was not re-elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election and was succeeded as Prime Minister of Tuvalu by Saufatu Sopoanga.[7]
Having left office in 2002, Talake relocated to Auckland, New Zealand, where his children were living.[8]
References
- Levine, Mark (1 December 2002). "Tuvalu Toodle-oo". Outside. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
- "Rulers Index". Rulers Org. 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- Page, Kogan (2004). Asia and Pacific Review 2003/04. Kogan Page Publishers. p. 261.
- "Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. 2002. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
- "Tiny Pacific nation takes on Australia". BBC. 4 March 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- "Preliminary Election Results - P.M. Talake Voted Out". Tuvalu Online. 26 July 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- "Early signs: New Zealand's climate refugees". living on earth. 31 March 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2015.