Papali'i Poumau

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Papali'i Poumau
Minister for Education
In office
1964–1967
Preceded byTuatagaloa Leutele Te'o
Succeeded byTuaopepe Tame
Member of the Legislative Assembly
In office
1964–1967
Preceded byTuilagi Simi
Succeeded byLeilua Iuliano
ConstituencyFa'asaleleaga No. 2
Personal details
DiedNew Zealand

Papali'i Asiata Fauatea Poumau MBE was a Western Samoan politician. He served as Minister for Education between 1964 and 1967.

Biography[edit]

A former court interpreter and registrar in the Land and Titles Court,[1] Poumau worked in the Western Samoa Public Service Commission,[2] later becoming Resident Commissioner of Savai'i. In 1958 he became the first Samoan to represent New Zealand at the South Pacific Commission.[3] He was made an MBE in the 1961 New Year Honours.[4] In February 1961 he was appointed as the Samoan administrator of the referendum on independence and a new constitution.[5]

After retiring from the civil service,[2] he contested the Fa'asaleleaga No. 2 constituency in the 1964 general elections, defeating incumbent MLA Tuilagi Simi by 68 votes to 63.[6] Following the elections, he was surprisingly appointed Minister for Education by Prime Minister Fiame Mata'afa.[1] However, he lost his seat in the 1967 elections,[7] losing to Leilua Iuliano by 78 votes to 64.[6] He ran again in the 1970 elections, but finished fourth out of five candidates with only eleven votes.[6]

Poumau died in New Zealand in the early 1970s.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Criticism Of Selections For New Cabinet Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1964, p57
  2. ^ a b c Papalii Poumau Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1973, p125
  3. ^ People Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1958, p5
  4. ^ "No. 42233". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1960. p. 8929.
  5. ^ Dusan J. Djonovich (1973) Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly: 1960-62, p540
  6. ^ a b c Samoan election results by constituency 1964–2016 Samoa Election Results Database
  7. ^ Mata'afa will lead independent Western Samoa for third term Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1967, p9