Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster
Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster | |
---|---|
Minister of Tourism | |
Assumed office 20 October 2021 | |
Prime Minister | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa |
Preceded by | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa |
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment | |
Assumed office 20 October 2021 | |
Preceded by | Fiamē Naomi Mata‘afa |
In office 24 May 2021 – 3 June 2021 | |
Preceded by | Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi |
Succeeded by | Fiamē Naomi Mata‘afa |
Member of the Samoan Parliament for Aana Alofi No. 4 | |
Assumed office 9 April 2021 | |
Preceded by | Afamasaga Rico Tupai |
Member of the Samoan Parliament for A'ana Alofi No. 3 | |
In office 4 March 2011 – 4 March 2016 | |
Preceded by | |
Succeeded by | Afamasaga Rico Tupai |
Personal details | |
Political party | Tautua Samoa Party F.A.S.T. |
Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster is a Samoan environmentalist, politician and Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the FAST Party.[1]
Schuster is from the village of Satapuala.[2] He was educated at the University of Victoria and at Brandeis University in the United States.[2] He has previously worked for the World Wide Fund for Nature,[3] the Samoan government's Division of Environment and Conservation, Seacology, and as an environmental consultant.[2] Schuster is the cousin of Lefau Harry Schuster[4] and the father of swimmer Brandon Schuster.[5]
Political career[]
Schuster was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa at the 2011 Samoan general election, as a candidate for the Tautua Samoa Party.[4] In August 2012 he took part in a roadblock in his village of Satapuala which sough to block access to land the village was claiming.[6][7] He was subsequently charged with unlawful assembly and obstruction.[8] in August 2013 he was convicted of unlawful assembly, resisting police, obstruction and using foul language and fined US$635.[9] He subsequently apologised to Parliament for the incident.[10]
In April 2014, Schuster became the first Samoan MP to join International Parliamentarians for West Papua.[3]
He lost his seat at the 2016 election.[1]
In October 2020 Schuster announced he would stand as a candidate for the F.A.S.T. Party in the April 2021 election.[1] He was elected.[5] On 24 May 2021 he was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in the elected cabinet of Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa.[11] The appointment was disputed by the caretaker government. 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.[12]
On 1 June 2021, while returning from FAST's first-anniversary celebration, Schuster was arrested for drunk-driving.[13] On 3 June he resigned his portfolio, which was later reassigned to prime minister Fiamē Naomi Mata‘afa.[14][15] On 20 July he pleaded guilty to three traffic offences and applied for a discharge without conviction.[16] On 15 October 2021 he was fined $2,000 and discharged without conviction.[17] He returned to Cabinet on 20 October 2021 as Minister for Natural Resources and Environment and Tourism.[18][19]
References[]
- ^ a b c Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (22 October 2020). "Environmentalist Toeolesulusulu Cedric signs up for election". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ a b c "Seacology Welcomes New field Representatives in Two Regions" (PDF). Seacology. 11 (1). April 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Samoa MP Joins Parliamentarians For West Papua". Pacific Islands Report. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ a b "NEW FACE IN SAMOA PARLIAMENT HOPES FOR CHANGE". Pacific Islands Report. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Environmentalist Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster Returns to Parliament". Samoa Global News. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Samoa MP risks prosecution over Satapuala roadblock". RNZ. 21 August 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ "Samoa opposition MP investigated over road block violence". ABC. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ "Satapuala Defendants Plead Not Guilty In Samoa Court". Pacific Islands Report. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ "Samoa MP, Chiefs Fined In Satapuala Blockade Case". Pacific Islands Report. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ "Samoa MP Apologizes For Role In Satapuala Roadblock". Pacific Islands Report. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ Marieta H Ilalio (25 May 2021). "Fiame Sworn in as Prime Minister under Marquees on Parliament Grounds". Samoa Global News. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (23 July 2021). "F.A.S.T. declared new Government as appeal upheld". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (2 June 2021). "Minister-elect charged with drink driving". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (3 June 2021). "Cabinet Minister-elect Toesulusulu resigns". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "First FAST Cabinet Down to Work – When the Impossible Happens". Talamua Online. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (20 July 2021). "Toeolesulusulu pleads guilty to traffic offence". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ Tina Mata'afa-Tufele (15 October 2021). "M.P. fined for drink-driving offense". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ Talaia Mika (20 October 2021). "New Clerk of Parliament and Cabinet Minister sworn in". Talamua. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (20 October 2021). "Cabinet Minister grateful for second chance". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- Living people
- Members of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
- Government ministers of Samoa
- Samoan chiefs
- Tautua Samoa Party politicians
- Faith in the One True God politicians
- Brandeis University alumni
- Samoan environmentalists