Naomi Mataʻafa
Naomi Mataʻafa | |||
---|---|---|---|
7th Prime Minister of Samoa | |||
Assumed office 24 May 2021[a] | |||
O le Ao o le Malo | Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II | ||
Deputy | Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio | ||
Preceded by | Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi | ||
Leader of Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi | |||
Assumed office 9 March 2021 | |||
Deputy | Laauli Leuatea Polataivao | ||
Preceded by | Laauli Leuatea Polataivao | ||
Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa | |||
In office 19 March 2016 – 11 September 2020 | |||
Prime Minister | Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi | ||
Preceded by | Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo | ||
Succeeded by | Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio (2021) | ||
| |||
Member of the Samoan Parliament for Lotofaga | |||
Assumed office 22 February 1985 | |||
Preceded by | Asiasiau Sausoo | ||
Personal details | |||
Born | 29 April 1957 | ||
Political party | Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (2021–present) | ||
Other political affiliations | Human Rights Protection Party (before 2020) Independent (2020–2021) | ||
Relatives | Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II (father) Laulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa (mother) | ||
Education | Victoria University of Wellington |
Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa (born 29 April 1957)[1] is a Samoan politician and High Chiefess (matai) who has served as the seventh prime minister of Samoa since May 2021.[2][3] She is the leader of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party and is the first woman to hold the offices of cabinet minister, deputy prime minister, and prime minister in Samoa. She is also the first prime minister to not be a member of the Human Rights Protection Party since 1982.[4]
Mataʻafa won a majority in the 2021 election, but defeated prime minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi refused to leave office, leading to the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis. The crisis was resolved by Samoa's Court of Appeal on 23 July 2021, which ruled that Mataʻafa had been prime minister since 24 May.[5][6][7]
Career[]
Mataʻafa was educated at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School and Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.[8] She was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa in the 1985 election,[9] representing the constituency of Lotofaga previously held by her mother. She has been re-elected in every election since, and is one of the longest-serving members of Parliament.[10] On 15 May 1991 she was appointed Minister of Education, becoming Samoa's first female Cabinet Minister.[11] She held that position until 2006, when she was appointed as Minister of Women, Community & Social Development.[9][12] From 2011 to 2016 she served as Minister of Justice.[10]
In March 2016, Mataʻafa was elected deputy leader of the Human Rights Protection Party, defeating Faumuina Tiatia Liuga in a caucus vote.[13] On 19 March 2016, she was sworn in as Samoa's first female deputy prime minister.[14] She was also appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.[15]
On 10 September 2020, Mataʻafa was publicly rebuked by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi after announcing that she would follow the wishes of her constituency and vote against the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill, Land and Titles Bill, and Judicature Bill.[16] On 11 September 2020 she resigned from Cabinet.[17][18] Following her resignation she was invited by the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party to become its leader. She declined as she wished to complete the parliamentary term.[19] On 13 January 2021, Mataʻafa announced that she would be joining FAST after Parliament has risen for the election.[20][21] In March 2021 Mataʻafa was elected to lead FAST[22]
Mataʻafa has represented Samoa on the executive board of UNESCO. From 2006 to 2012 she served as Pro Chancellor and Chairperson of the University of the South Pacific. She is currently President of the Samoa National Council of Women.[10]
In 2018 while Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, she launched the Women in Climate Change Initiative (WiCC) of which she is the Patron.[23]
2021 Samoan general election[]
During the 2021 general election held on 9 April 2021, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa was re-elected to her Lotofaga seat unopposed.[24] Preliminary results from the general election indicated that FAST had secured 23 seats, HRPP 24 and Tautua Samoa and an Independent both winning one seat. An accounting error was detected in the Vaimauga No. 2 constituency, which had incorrectly displayed the Tautua Samoa candidate leading ahead of the HRPP candidate. This subsequently showed the results for FAST and the HRPP tied with 25 seats each, and first term Independent MP Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio holding the balance of power.[25] Official results still showed FAST and the HRPP tied.[26]
After the election, FAST negotiated with Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio about him either entering a coalition with FAST or joining the party altogether. Ponifasio agreed to join FAST on 21 April giving FAST 26 seats. However, a day before Ponifasio's announcement, the Samoan Electoral Commission announced that the 10% female quota in parliament had not been met. An extra seat was added in parliament going to the HRPP, resulting in a hung parliament with both FAST and the HRPP deadlocked with 26 seats each.[27] FAST decided to challenge the decision in court.[28] On 3 May, Fiamē Naomi urged prime minister Tuilaepa to concede defeat.[29]
On the evening of 4 May 2021, O le Ao Mamalu o le Malo (Head of State) Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II announced that new elections would take place on 21 May to resolve the deadlock. Fiamē and FAST opposed fresh elections, stating that the decision "pre-empts" the Supreme Court ruling on the extra parliamentary seat scheduled for 5 May.[30] She has also said that the O le Ao o le Malo's call was "unconstitutional" as all options to break the deadlock had yet not been exhausted. On 5 May, Fiamē announced that FAST would challenge the decision in court.[31]
On 17 May, the Supreme Court of Samoa ruled that the creation of a new seat was unconstitutional, giving FAST a majority in parliament.[32][33][34] They subsequently overturned the voiding of the 9 April election results and declared that the call for a new election had no legal authority, and ordered parliament to convene within 45 days of the original polling. Thus paving way for FAST to form a new government and for Fiamē to assume the prime ministership.[35][36][37][38]
From 24 May to 23 July 2021, her position as prime minister had been disputed by Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi who refused to concede power and locked her out along with her party's MPs from entering the legislative building, despite the ruling of the Supreme Court of Samoa. Her party denounced the move as a "coup".[39][40] In a tent in parliament's gardens, Mata’afa was sworn into office as Samoa's first female prime minister.[41] The Federated States of Micronesia became the first country to recognize her as the legitimate Prime Minister of Samoa.[39] Tuilaepa accused Mata'afa of treason.[42]
On 23 July 2021 the Court of Appeal ruled that the swearing-in ceremony was constitutional and binding, and that FAST had been the government since 24 May.[5] Three days later on the 26 July, Tuilaepa conceded defeat, ending the constitutional crisis.[43]
Prime minister (2021–present)[]
The FAST administration moved into the government offices on 26 July 2021.[44] Fiamē and her cabinet immediately began to start implementing a budget that was one month overdue of the fiscal year.[45] Fiamē is Samoa’s first female prime minister, and is also the nation’s first head of government to not be a member of the HRPP since Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi left office in 1982. She is also the second woman to lead a pacific island country after former president of the Marshall Islands, Hilda Heine.[46] She also assumed the ministerial portfolios of Foreign Affairs and Natural Resources and Environment.[47]
Before formally assuming office, Mataʻafa announced that she would scrap the previous government’s plans for the construction of a new Chinese funded port. She stated that this project was not needed for Samoa, and that it would risk racking up the country’s debt. She later reaffirmed this decision once she took office.[48]
Shortly after, Opposition Leader Tuila'epa called for Chief Justice Perese and all other Supreme Court justices to resign.[49] This was due to the opinion held by Tuila'epa and the HRPP that the court decision to recognise FAST as the legitimate government was ‘unconstitutional’. The HRPP subsequently organised protests against the judiciary.[50] Mataʻafa commented that the issue of the constitutional crisis was not the judiciary’s decision, but rather Tuila'epa’s unwillingness to leave office.[51]
On 6 August 2021, Mataʻafa had reportedly put Attorney General Savalenoa Mareva Betham Annandale on notice.[52] On 21 August, Mata’afa announced that the Attorney General along with the clerk of the legislative assembly, Tiatia Graeme Tualaulelei would be suspended for two weeks.[53][54] On 2 September, she announced that Savalenoa would be dismissed effective immediately, citing her failure to defend the judiciary from post election attacks. Fiamē then advised the head of state to appoint as Savalenoa’s replacement.[55][56] The clerk of the legislative assembly was suspended for an additional two weeks.[57] Tiatia was sacked on 17 September.[58]
On 3 September, cabinet approved Fiamē’s request to establish the position of the ‘Chief of Staff’ within the ministry of the prime minister.[59]
Awards[]
In 2017, Mataʻafa was awarded the Stars of Oceania Individual's Award.[60] In December 2018 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of the South Pacific.[61] As Minister of Natural Resources and Environment she was awarded the Ocean Stewardship Award in 2017 by Conservation International and the Ocean Health Index for her role in ushering in Samoa's Ocean Strategy.[62]
Family[]
Fiamē is the daughter of Fiame Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II, a paramount chief and the first Prime Minister of Samoa. Her mother, Laulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa, was a diplomat, educator and politician.[11] Her maternal grandfather, Le Mamea Matatumua Ata was one of the framers of the Samoan constitution.[63] After her father's death in 1975, she was anointed as his successor to one of his chiefly titles, Fiamē from Lotofaga.[64]
She was studying at university in New Zealand when she was recalled by her ʻaiga (extended family) to take up one of her father's matai titles, Fiamē, from Lotofaga.[8]
Her mother, Laulu Fetaui, had entered parliament in 1975 from the constituency of Lotofaga, following her husband's death. On Laulu Fetaui's retirement from politics Fiamē Naomi contested the seat and was elected.[63]
Mataʻafa is a member of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa at Lotofaga.[65]
As the holder of the Fiamē title, she is the ranking alii (“Sa’o Faapito”) or chief of Lotofaga and head of Sā Levalasi, one of the prominent political clans of Samoa which is also custodian of the Mataʻafa title, one of the four pre-eminent Tama-a-Aiga titles of Samoa.
Notes[]
References[]
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- 1957 births
- Living people
- 21st-century women politicians
- Attorneys General of Samoa
- Children of national leaders
- Faith in the One True God politicians
- Female foreign ministers
- Female heads of government
- Government ministers of Samoa
- Members of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
- People educated at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
- People from Atua (district)
- Prime Ministers of Samoa
- Samoan chiefs
- Samoan Congregationalists
- Victoria University of Wellington alumni
- Women government ministers of Samoa
- Women prime ministers