Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi

Leaupepe Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi (born ~1947)[1] is a Samoan politician. He has served as a Cabinet Minister and as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. He is a member of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP).

Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi
Faafisi in 2017
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
Assumed office
18 March 2016
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
DeputyNafoitoa Talaimanu Keti
Preceded byLaauli Leuatea Polataivao
In office
1996–2006
Prime MinisterTofilau Eti Alesana
Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
DeputyTolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua
Preceded byFatu Vaili Afamasaga
Succeeded byTolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua
Minister of Police and Prisons
In office
24 April 2006 – 21 March 2011
Succeeded bySala Fata Pinati
Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
In office
1991–1996
Member of the Samoa Parliament
for Aana Alofi No. 1 West
Assumed office
5 April 1991
Personal details
Born1947
Political partySamoan National Development Party
Human Rights Protection Party

Faafisi was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa at the 1991 Samoan general election as a candidate for the Samoan National Development Party. He switched allegiance to the HRPP immediately after the election,[2] and was appointed Deputy Speaker.[1] In 1996 he was appointed Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[1] In 1998 he was hospitalised while attending the Commonwealth Speakers and Clerks Conference in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.[3] Following his re-election in 2001 he was appointed to the role for a second term.[4][5]

He was re-elected at the 2006 election and appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Police.[6] He was not reappointed to Cabinet in 2011.[7] In 2013 he advocated exporting dog meat to China as a measure for controlling stray animals.[8]

In 2016 he was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for a third term.[9] As Speaker he oversaw the redevelopment of the new Parliament building.[10] As Speaker, he was accused of lacking independence,[11][12] of removing Members' speeches from Hansard,[13] and of taking direction in the House from Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi.[14] in November 2020 he declared the seats of independent opposition MPs Olo Fiti Vaai and Faumuina Asi Pauli Wayne Fong vacant after they announced they would be standing as candidates for the F.A.S.T. party at the 2021 election.[15] On 14 December 2020 the decision was declared unlawful and invalid by the Supreme Court of Samoa.[16][17]

Faafisi has announced he will be retiring at the 2021 election.[1]

References
  1. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (10 July 2020). "Speaker to bow out after nearly three decades". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  2. Asofou So'o (1993). Universal Suffrage in Western Samoa: The 1991 General Elections. Australian National University. p. 10.
  3. "SAMOA'S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TAKEN ILL IN PORT OF SPAIN". Pacific Islands Report. 22 January 1998. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  4. "SAMOA: ELECTIONS HELD IN 2001". IPU. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. "HRPP RECLAIMS CONTROL OF SAMOA GOVERNMENT, TUILAEPA STILL PRIME MINISTER". Pacific Islands Report. 16 March 2001. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  6. "Five new faces in new Samoa cabinet". RNZ. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  7. "Former opposition leader in Samoa joins new ruling party cabinet". RNZ. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  8. "Samoa passes laws to control stray dogs". RNZ. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  9. "Former Samoa deputy PM left out of cabinet". RNZ. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  10. "Redevelopment of Parliament House". Government of Samoa. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  11. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (24 June 2020). "Former Speaker expresses concerns over Parliament debate". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  12. "Independent Speaker an ideal Samoa must strive for". Samoa Observer. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  13. Mata'afa Keni Lesa (18 June 2020). "Former Speaker questions accuracy of Parliament hansard". Samoa Oberver. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  14. Soli Wilson (22 November 2020). "Speaker cops criticism over Parliament tension". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  15. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (18 November 2020). "Speaker officially declares seats vacant". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  16. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (14 December 2020). "Olo and Faumuina delighted, ready for Parliament return". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  17. Mata'afa Keni Lesa (15 December 2020). "Let's embrace spirit of Christmas, Speaker welcomes Olo and Faumuina". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
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