Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua

Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He served as Speaker of the Samoan Legislative Assembly from 2006-2011. He was a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.

Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua
Minister of Women, Community and Social Development
In office
18 March 2011 – 4 March 2016
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Preceded byFiame Naomi Mata'afa
Succeeded byFaimalotoa Kika Stowers
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
In office
22 April 2006 – 18 March 2011
Preceded byLeaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi
Succeeded byLaauli Leuatea Polataivao
Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
In office
2001–2006
Minister of Posts Office and Telecommunications
In office
April 1996 – September 1996
Prime MinisterTofilau Eti Alesana
Member of the Samoa Parliament
for Aʻana Alofi No. 2
In office
2 March 2001 – 4 March 2016
Preceded byMuagututia Samuelu
Succeeded byIli Setefano Taʻateo
In office
26 April 1996 – September 1996
Preceded byAmiatu Sio
Succeeded byMuagututia Samuelu
Personal details
Political partyHuman Rights Protection Party

Leiʻataua was first elected to Parliament in 1996 and served briefly as Minister of Posts Office and Telecommunications before losing his seat in September of that year.[1] He was re-elected in the 2001 general election and was appointed Deputy Speaker.[1] In 2006 he became Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Leiʻataua's term as Speaker was marked by battles to prevent the formation of parties to rival the HRRP. In 2009, following the formation of the Tautua Samoa Party, he invoked anti-party-hopping laws to evict all nine of its members from the House.[2] The MP's were later reinstated by the Supreme Court of Samoa.[3] In 2010 the government passed new laws forbidding MPs from joining or declaring their support for political parties or organizations with political aims other than the party they were elected for.[4] In March 2010 Speaker Leiʻataua invoked these laws to deprive three MPs of their seats for supporting Tautua Samoa.[5]

He was re-elected at the 2011 and appointed Minister of Women's Affairs.[6] He lost his seat at the 2016 election.[7] He had initially planned to run in the 2021 election, but withdrew his candidacy in October 2020.[8]

References
  1. "Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua". Legislative Assembly of Samoa. Archived from the original on July 11, 2007. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  2. "By-elections to be called in Samoa for nine vacant parliamentary seats". Radio New Zealand International. 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  3. "Samoa court reinstates nine MPs, cancels by-elections". Radio New Zealand International. 2009-07-02. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  4. "Samoa passes bill following last year's Tautua Samoa episode". RNZ. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  5. Alan Ah Mu (2010-03-18). "Vaʻai springs election shock". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  6. "Former opposition leader in Samoa joins new ruling party cabinet". RNZ. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  7. "Biggest win of 30 years in power". Cook Islands News. 5 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  8. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (24 October 2020). "Former Speaker withdraws candidacy". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 11 December 2020.


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