The Honourable
Faumuina Fong
Leatinuu Wayne So'oialo in 2023
Minister of Public Enterprises
Assumed office
24 May 2021[lower-alpha 1]
Prime MinisterFiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Preceded byLautafi Fio Selafi Purcell
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour
In office
24 May 2021[lower-alpha 1] – 1 October 2023
Prime MinisterFiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Preceded byLautafi Fio Selafi Purcell
Succeeded byLeota Laki Lamositele
Member of the Samoan Parliament
Assumed office
9 April 2021
Preceded byTaefu Lemi
ConstituencyFaleata No. 2
In office
4 March 2016 – 9 April 2021
Preceded bySeat established
Succeeded bySeat abolished
ConstituencyUrban West
Personal details
BornJune 1959
Political partyFaʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi
Other political
affiliations		Human Rights Protection Party (until 2020)
Independent (2020-21)

Leatinuu Faumuina Asi Pauli Wayne Fong (also known as Leatinuu Wayne So'oialo)[1] (born June 1959)[2] is a Samoan politician and Cabinet Minister who has served as the minister of Commerce, Labour and Industry since 2021.[3][4]

Faumuina worked as a cargo manager for Polynesian Airlines in the United States, before moving to Hawaii.[5] After returning to Samoa he ran a shipping company.[5] He was first elected to the Samoan Parliament in the Urban West seat at the 2016 Samoan general election.[5]

In March 2017 Fong called for a law change to allow Samoans to gamble in casinos.[6] In October he criticised "dirty politics" within the Human Rights Protection Party, alleging that factions were moving against Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi while he was in hospital in New Zealand.[7] In December he called for a relaxation of border controls with American Samoa.[8] In 2018 he opposed the government's Customary Land Alienation Bill.[9] In June 2019 Fong criticised the government's budget, claiming it was "unbalanced".[10]

In May 2020 Fong was asked to leave the Human Rights Protection Party by Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi over his opposition to Tuila'epa's proposed constitutional reforms.[11][12] In July 2020 he was sacked from the party.[13] He remained in parliament as an independent.[14]

In September 2020 Fong pledged his loyalty to former Deputy Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa following her resignation, and promised to follow whichever party she joined in the 2021 election.[15] On 17 October Fong registered to run as a candidate for the F.A.S.T. party in the 2021 election.[16] As a result his seat was declared vacant under anti-party-hopping provisions.[17][18] On 14 December 2020 the decision was declared unlawful and invalid by the Supreme Court of Samoa.[19][20]

Fong ran in the seat of Faleata No. 2 at the April 2021 Samoan general election and was re-elected. On 24 May 2021 he was appointed Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour in the elected cabinet of Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa.[21] 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.[22]

On 19 December 2022 Leatinu'u was medevaced to New Zealand for treatment for a serious heart condition.[23]

In a cabinet reshuffle on 6 September 2023 he was replaced as Commerce, Industry of Labour by Leota Laki Lamositele from 1 October 2023, but retained the Public Enterprises portfolio.[24]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Disputed: 24 May 2021 – 23 July 2021

References

  1. ↑ Soli Wilson (29 October 2020). "Olo, Leatinuu ousted; seats vacant". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Adel Fruean (16 June 2019). "M.P. Faumuina celebrates 60th birthday". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "First FAST Cabinet Down to Work – When the Impossible Happens". Talamua Online. 29 July 2021. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  4. ↑ "Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour / Minister of Public Enterprises". www.samoagovt.ws. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Soli Wilson (17 October 2020). "Faumuina registers for F.A.S.T.; braces to challenge decision". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "Samoa MP calls on govt to allow locals to casinos". RNZ. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  7. ↑ Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu (14 October 2017). "Member hits out at dirty H.R.P.P. politics". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Call for freer border between Samoas". RNZ. 27 December 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  9. ↑ "Heated debate in Samoa's Parliament over land bill". RNZ. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "Samoan backbencher alleges Budget is unbalanced". RNZ. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "Samoa PM speaks out regarding dissenting MP". RNZ. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  12. ↑ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (18 May 2020). "P.M. told me to resign, Faumuina confirms". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  13. ↑ "Another dissenting Samoa MP sacked". RNZ. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  14. ↑ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (8 July 2020). "M.P. Faumuina happy with removal from H.R.P.P." Samoa Observer. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  15. ↑ Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (12 September 2020). "M.P. Faumuina pledges loyalty to Fiame". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  16. ↑ "Independent MP Leatinu'u Wayne Fong chooses the FAST Flag". Talamua. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "Samoa Speaker ousts two independent MPs". RNZ. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  18. ↑ Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (18 November 2020). "Speaker officially declares seats vacant". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  19. ↑ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (14 December 2020). "Olo and Faumuina delighted, ready for Parliament return". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  20. ↑ Mata'afa Keni Lesa (15 December 2020). "Let's embrace spirit of Christmas, Speaker welcomes Olo and Faumuina". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  21. ↑ Marieta H Ilalio (25 May 2021). "Fiame Sworn in as Prime Minister under Marquees on Parliament Grounds". Samoa Global News. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  22. ↑ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (23 July 2021). "F.A.S.T. declared new Government as appeal upheld". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  23. ↑ Shalveen Chand (20 December 2022). "Leatinu'u airlifted to N.Z." Samoa Observer. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  24. ↑ "Samoa Prime Minister Announces Cabinet Reshuffle: New Finance Minister and Two Additional Ministers". Samoa Global News. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
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