Samoa made history yesterday when a women was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister.
She is Fiame Naomi Mata’afa who was officially named as the country’s deputy prime minister during the swearing in of members of Parliament yesterday.
Fiame is also deputy leader of the ruling Human rights protection Party, of which Tuilaepa.
This position was previously held by deputy PM Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre.
Fonotoe did not land a ministerial post in the cabinet that PM Tuilaepa announced before a packed Faleata Gymnasium.
Tuilaepa said before he named the 12 cabinet ministers he has tried to balance the old with the new, have representations from districts that have never been given cabinet positions, and include Members of Parliament with the highest number of votes.
Among the four first term Members of Parliament who were named as cabinet ministers is attorney Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu who was named as Minister of Justice.
Faaolesa, practiced law in the territory and was active in the Marist St. Joseph’s Old Boys and was the owner of the Samoa Post newspaper, before he relocated to Samoa.
The other first term MP’s picked as ministers are Sili Epa Tuioti, who was named as Minister of Finance.
Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i, the youngest MP in the new parliament who is the Minister of Telecommunications, and Loau Sola Keneti Sio, a former Manu Samoa player, who’s now the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture,
Apart from Deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa , the only other woman that Tuilaepa picked for his new cabinet is Faimalotoa Kika Stowers, who is minister of Woman, Community and Social Development.
Faimalotoa is a former CEO of Radio 2AP having worked in the government owned radio station for more than 4 decades starting as a teenager after graduating from St. Mary’s College, Vaimoso.
Tialavea Tionisio Hunt is Minister of Revenue and Papaliitele Niko Lee Hang, who used to be Minister of Finance in a previous cabinet is Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure.
Former Speaker of Parliament Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Leuatea is now Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, he’s also in charge of the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa-SROS.
Continuing from the former cabinet are:
- Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell who is Minister of Commerce, Industry, Labor; he’s also head of Public Enterprises, Samoa Tourism Authority and Samoa Land Corporation;
- Tuitama Dr Talalelei Tuitama who remains as Minister of Health.;
- Sala Fata Pinati continues as Minister of Police and Prisons.
