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Toaripi Lauti

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The Right Honourable
Sir Toaripi Lauti
GCMG PC
A black-and-white headshot of Lauti wearing a suit
Lauti at the Tuvalu Constitutional Conference in 1978
3rd Governor-General of Tuvalu
In office
1 October 1990 – 1 December 1993
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterBikenibeu Paeniu
Preceded byTupua Leupena
Succeeded byTomu Sione
1st Prime Minister of Tuvalu
In office
1 October 1978 – 8 September 1981
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor‑GeneralFiatau Penitala Teo
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byTomasi Puapua
1st Chief Minister of Tuvalu
In office
2 October 1975 – 1 October 1978
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor‑GeneralThomas Laying
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byPosition Abolished
Personal details
Born28 November 1928
Gulf Province, Territory of Papua (now Papua New Guinea
Died25 May 2014(2014-05-25) (aged 85)
Funafuti, Tuvalu[citation needed]
Political partyIndependent
SpouseSualua Tui

Sir Toaripi Lauti GCMG PC (28 November 1928 – 25 May 2014) was a Tuvaluan politician who served as chief minister of the Colony of Tuvalu (1975–78), as the first prime minister following Tuvalu's independence (1978–1981) and governor-general of Tuvalu (1990–1993). He was married to Sualua Tui.

Education

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Lauti was born in Toaripi village of the Territory of Papua. His father was Pastor Lauti Kae of Funafuti. He studied at Elisefou (New Ellice) primary school in Vaitupu for 6 years from 1938 to 1944. In 1945, he was sent to study in Fiji at the Londoni Provincial School, and in 1946 at the Queen Victoria School, before moving in 1947 to Wesley College in Auckland, New Zealand. From 1948 to 1951, he finished his schooling at St Andrews College in Christchurch in 1948. He attended the Teachers' Training College in Christchurch in 1952 and 1953, at the same time he was a House Master at St Andrew's College.

Pre-Independence career

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Toaripi Lauti was a teacher at King George V Secondary School in Tarawa from 1954 to 1962.[1] From 1962 to 1974 he was an industrial relations officer with the British Phosphate Commissioners in Nauru.[1] In 1974, he entered politics and became a member of the House of Assembly for the constituency of Funafuti of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, as leader of the Opposition.[2]: 153–177 

He was the first chief minister of the Colony of Tuvalu, the former Ellice Islands, from 2 October 1975 to 1 October 1978.[2]

Prime Minister of Tuvalu, post-independence

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When Tuvalu became independent in 1978, he was appointed as its first prime minister. He was also the minister of finance from 1977 to 1981.[2]: 175–176  He was appointed as a member of the Privy Council in 1979.[3]

The first elections after independence were not held until 8 September 1981. At that election, Tomasi Puapua was elected as prime minister with a 7:5 majority over the group of members of parliament headed by Lauti.[4][5] The administration of Toaripi Lauti had become involved in controversy, as a result of his decision to invest nearly all of the government's money with an American real estate salesman who promised 15 percent returns from the purchase of land in Texas.[6] The investment turned out to be a fraud.[7] While the funds were recovered by US agencies,[8][9] the controversy resulted in a loss of confidence in his judgment and was an important factor in the election of Puapua.

Lauti also served as the President of the Funafuti Town Council and as a member of the Tuvalu Language Board.

Governor-General of Tuvalu

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His reputation was redeemed from the circumstances that ended his time as prime minister, he was the Governor-General of Tuvalu, representing Elizabeth II, Queen of Tuvalu as head of state, from 1 October 1990 through 1 December 1993.[10][11] In 1990, he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG).

Government offices
Preceded by
none
 Prime Minister of Tuvalu
1978–1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
none
 Minister of Finance of Tuvalu
1977-1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor-General of Tuvalu
1990–1993 		Succeeded by

References

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  1. ^ a b Sopoaga, Enele (1983). "Chapter 19, Post-War Development". In Laracy, Hugh (ed.). Tuvalu: A History. University of the South Pacific/Government of Tuvalu. pp. 146–152.
  2. ^ a b c Isala, Tito (1983). "Chapter 20, Secession and Independence". In Laracy, Hugh (ed.). Tuvalu: A History. University of the South Pacific/Government of Tuvalu.
  3. ^ "Members of the Privy Council". The Independent (UK). Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)" (PDF). Inter-Parliamentary Union. 1981. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Tuvalu's turn for a change of PM". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 52, no. 11. 1 November 1981. p. 33. Retrieved 3 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Trumbull, Robert (16 August 1981). "U.S. deal embroils tiny island nation". New York Times. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  7. ^ Finin, Gerard A. (2002). "Will Trust Funds Sustain the FSM and RMI? Lessons from the Tuvalu Model" (PDF). EWC Pacific Islands Congressional Study Group 5/3/02. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  8. ^ Crocombe, R. G. (1985). The Pacific Islands and the USA.
  9. ^ Finin, Gerald A. (April 2002). Small is Viable: The Global Ebbs and Flows of a Pacific Atoll Nation (PDF). East-West Center Working Papers: Pacific Islands Development Series No. 15.
  10. ^ Craig, Robert D. (2010). Historical Dictionary of Polynesia. Scarecrow Press.
  11. ^ Taafaki, Tauaasa (1996). "South Pacific – Governance in the Pacific: the dismissal of Tuvalu's Governor-General" (PDF). Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, ANU (No 96/5). Retrieved 28 August 2021.
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