The Honourable
Samuelu Penitala Teo
MP
Teo speaking at IPU assembly March 2022
Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu
In office
20 September 2019 – 26 January 2024
Prime MinisterKausea Natano
Preceded byOtinielu Tausi
Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu
In office
January 2021 – 28 September 2021
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterKausea Natano
Preceded byTeniku Talesi (acting)
Succeeded byTofiga Vaevalu Falani
Minister of Works, Energy and Communications (1999-2001); Minister for Natural Resources (2001-2002)
In office
1999–2002
Prime MinisterIonatana Ionatana (1999-2000);[1] Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000-2001); Faimalaga Luka (2001); and Koloa Talake (2001–2002)
Member of the Tuvaluan Parliament
for Niutao
In office
26 March 1998 – 3 August 2006
Member of the Tuvaluan Parliament
for Niutao (serving with Fauoa Maani)
In office
31 March 2015 – 26 January 2024
Preceded byVete Sakaio
Personal details
Born
Samuelu Penitala Teo
Political partyIndependent

Samuelu Penitala Teo is a Tuvaluan politician. He is the son of Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo who was appointed as the first Governor General of Tuvalu (1978–1986) following independence from Great Britain.[2] Samuelu Teo himself served as the Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu from January until 28 September 2021.[3][4] He had succeeded Acting Governor-General Teniku Talesi[5] and remained in office until the Rev. Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was sworn in as the 10th Governor-General in September 2021.

His spouse is Miliaga Samuelu Teo.[6]

Career

He was first elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu at the 1998 general election to represent the constituency of Niutao.[2] He served as the Minister of Works, Energy and Communications in the governments led by Ionatana Ionatana (1999-2000)[1] and Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000-2001). He was the Minister for Natural Resources in the governments led by Faimalaga Luka (2001) and Koloa Talake (2001–2002). He was re-elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election, then lost his seat in the 2006 Tuvaluan general election when the vote of the Tuvaluan electorate resulted in the election of 8 new members to the 15 member parliament.[7][8]

Samuelu Teo was again elected to represent Niutao in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.[9][10][11] The 2015 election was strongly contested with 6 candidates including the two incumbent MPs (Vete Sakaio and Fauoa Maani) and three former MPs (Sir Tomu Sione, Tavau Teii and Teo).[10]

Following the 2019 Tuvaluan general election, on 19 September 2019, the members of parliament elected Kausea Natano from Funafuti as prime minister;[12][13][14] and Teo was elected as Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu.[15]

He was not re-elected in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.[16][17]

His brother Feleti Penitala Teo[18][19] was elected to represent Niutao in the 2024 general election.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b Johnston, Martin (30 June 2000). "Student to blame for Tuvalu fire". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Tuvalu Elects 12 Members of Parliament". PacificIslands Report. 27 March 1998. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  3. ^ "LCT 'Moeiteava' Christened And Commissioned". Kitiona Tausi, Tuvalu Paradise – Issue No. 06/2021. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  4. ^ "The Presentation of Credentials to Honourable Samuelu Penitala Teo, Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu, by His Excellency Mr. KAWAKAMI Fumihiro, Ambassador of Japan to Tuvalu". Embassy of Japan in Tuvalu. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Government Launches "Te Kete"". Kitiona Tausi, Tuvalu Paradise – Issue No. 12/2020. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  6. ^ "List Of Participants - PGA 43rd Annual Forum & 12th CAP-ICC" (PDF). Parliamentarians for Global Action. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  7. ^ Hassall, Graham (2006). "The Tuvalu General Election 2006". Democracy and Elections project, Governance Program, University of the South Pacific. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  8. ^ Lansford, Tom (2015). Political Handbook of the World 2015. CQ Press.
  9. ^ Pua Pedro & Semi Malaki (1 April 2015). "One female candidate make it through the National General Election" (PDF). Fenui News. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Election looks set to return Sopoaga as Tuvalu's PM". Radio New Zealand. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  11. ^ "Tuvalu National Election 2015 Results (Niutao)". Fenui News. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  12. ^ "Tuvalu has elected a new Prime Minister - Hon. Kausea Natano". 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  13. ^ Evan Wasuka & Alan Weedon (19 September 2019). "Pacific climate change champion Enele Sopoaga is no longer Tuvalu's PM — so who's next in?". Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  14. ^ Colin Packham & Jonathan Barrett (19 September 2019). "Tuvalu changes PM, adds to concerns over backing for Taiwan in Pacific". Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Kausea Natano new PM of Tuvalu; Sopoaga ousted". 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Tuvalu general election: Six newcomers in parliament". Radio New Zealand. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  17. ^ Marinaccio, Jess (30 January 2024). "Tuvalu's 2024 general election: a new political landscape". PolicyDevBlog. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  18. ^ Pareti, Samisoni (3 December 2014). "Tuvalu 'son' secures top WCPFC job". Island Business. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Rulers Index". Rulers Org. 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
Government offices Preceded byMrs. Teniku Talesi HonoluluActing Governor General of TuvaluActing 2021 Succeeded byTofiga Vaevalu Falani
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