Tuiloma Pule Alaimoana Unasa Lameko Gae’e (6 July 1935 – 1 April 2018)[1] was a Samoan politician and Cabinet Minister. He was a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.

Tuiloma Pule Lameko
Member of the Council of Deputies
In office
6 February 2016 – 2 April 2018
Serving with Le Mamea Ropati
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
O le Ao o le MaloTupua Tamasese Efi
Va'aletoa Sualauvi II
Minister of Revenue
In office
21 March 2011 – 6 February 2016
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Preceded byTuu'u Anasi'i Leota
Succeeded byTialavea Tionisio Hunt
Member of the Samoa Parliament
for Falealili
In office
26 April 1996 – 4 March 2016
Succeeded byNone (Seat split)
Member of the Samoa Parliament
for Safata
In office
18 August 1979 – 1991
Preceded byMuliagatele Vena
Succeeded byLesa Farani Posala Manua
Personal details
Born6 July 1935
Falealili, Western Samoa
Died1 April 2018 (aged 83–84)
Apia, Samoa
Political partyHuman Rights Protection Party

Lameko was born in Falealili.[2] Initially educated at a free church school, he later attended Poutasi Primary School. He gained entry to Avele School using a younger cousin's birth certificate, as he was too old to attend.[2] He briefly attended Samoa College and a teachers training college, but in both cases left due to inability to pay fees.[2] While working as a cashier, he took night classes to train as an accountant.[2] He worked for the Treasury Department, then after serving a secondment to the International Monetary Fund in 1975 was appointed the first manager of the Samoa Shipping Corporation in 1976.[1]

He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa in a by-election in 1979, after Muliagatele Vena was unseated for bribery.[3] He held the seat until 1991. Between 1991 and 1996 he served as Public Service Commissioner.[1] In 1996 he returned to parliament representing Falealili. He served as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Sports & Cultural Affairs in the government of Tofilau Eti Alesana[1] and as Associate Minister to the Prime Minister and later Minister of Revenue under Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi.[4]

In February 2016 he stepped down from parliament in order to be appointed to the Council of Deputies.[5][6]

Lameko died at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in Apia in April 2018.[7] His death was marked with a public holiday[8] and a state funeral.[1][9][10]

Lameko also served as president of Samoa Rugby Union.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu (14 April 2018). "State funeral honours long serving Parliamentarian". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Ilia L. Likou (15 April 2018). "From humble beginnings: The life of Tuiloma Pule Lameko". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  3. ^ "As You Were in W Samoa?". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 50, no. 10. 1 October 1979. p. 22. Retrieved 4 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Former opposition leader in Samoa joins new ruling party cabinet". RNZ. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Samoa has two new members of the council of deputies". RNZ. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  6. ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia (6 February 2016). "An oath to serve". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  7. ^ "A member of Samoa's Council of Deputies dies". RNZ. 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  8. ^ "Samoa PM announces public holiday for state funeral". RNZ. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  9. ^ "State funeral in Samoa for member of council of deputies". RNZ. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  10. ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu (12 April 2018). "State funeral for Tuiloma Lameko gets underway". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Tuiloma new rugby president". Samoa Observer. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012.