Members of Parliament in Samoa observed a minute of silence on Tuesday in honor of former Cabinet Minister, the late Leiataualesa Vaiao John Alailima.
He passed away peacefully in American Samoa at the age of 95.
Leiataualesa is the father of attorney Charles Alailima, engineer Faye Alailima Rose, Judge Marie Lafaele, Leiataua Birdsall Alailima and social worker Kilali Alailima.
Leiataualesa is a former Minister of Justice, a former minister of Labor and Public Service and at one time was also Minister of Public Works.
He was first elected as the member of Parliament for Aiga ile Tai in 1988.
Speaker of the House, Leaupepe Toleafoa Fa’afisi conveyed his condolences to the family of Leiataualesa and his constituency.
Following his retirement Leiataualesa went on to complete his research on “Our Ancestors”.
The former minister also sponsored many students from the district to attend Polytechnic and National University of Samoa.
Leiataua was married to renowned Pacific author the late Fay G Calkins of, “Aggie Grey, Samoan Saga” and the subject of her book “My Samoan Chief.”
