Isaia Italeli
Encyclopedia
Isaia Italeli Taeia more commonly known as Isaia Italeli, was a Tuvalu
an politician.
He was elected to Parliament
as MP
for Nui in the September 2010 general election
, at which time his elder brother, Sir Iakoba Italeli Taeia
, was serving as Governor-General
.
On 29 September 2010, he was elected Speaker of Parliament. He joined the Opposition to Prime Minister
Maatia Toafa
's government in December 2010, along with a backbencher
and Home Affairs Minister Willy Telavi
, enabling the latter to oust Toafa in a motion of no confidence
, and replace him. As Prime Minister, Telavi appointed Italeli Minister for Works and Natural Resources.
n capital, Apia, on 20 July 2011. He was in Samoa to attend a Pacific Forum Fisheries Ministers' Meeting. The Samoan police stated that, although the death was sudden, and Italeli was only in his 40s, the death was "likely" to be of natural causes.
His widow, Pelenike Isaia
, succeeded him to Parliament in the resulting by-election
the following month, stating she would continue his work, and thus becoming only the second woman ever to sit in the Tuvaluan Parliament.
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
an politician.
He was elected to Parliament
Parliament of Tuvalu
The Parliament of Tuvalu is the unicameral national legislature in Tuvalu.-History and political culture:...
as MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Nui in the September 2010 general election
Tuvaluan general election, 2010
A parliamentary election was held in Tuvalu on 16 September 2010.Voters elected fifteen members of the Parliament to a four-year term. All candidates were independents, as there are no political parties in the country. Ten out of the fifteen incumbent members were re-elected. The remaining five...
, at which time his elder brother, Sir Iakoba Italeli Taeia
Iakoba Italeli
Sir Iakoba Taeia Italeli, GCMG, is a politician and the current Governor General of Tuvalu .-Political office:From 2006 to 2010 he was Minister of Education and Sports, and Health, in the government of the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Apisai Ielemia.-Constituency background:Italeli was elected to...
, was serving as Governor-General
Governor-General of Tuvalu
The Governor-General of Tuvalu is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Tuvalu, the nation's Head of State, and performs the duties of the Queen in her absence.-History:...
.
On 29 September 2010, he was elected Speaker of Parliament. He joined the Opposition to Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Tuvalu
The Prime Minister of Tuvalu is the head of government of Tuvalu. According to Tuvalu's constitution, the Prime Minister must always be a member of Parliament, and is elected by Parliament in a secret ballot. Because there are no political parties in Tuvalu, any member of Parliament can be...
Maatia Toafa
Maatia Toafa
Maatia Toafa is a Tuvaluan politician, representing Nanumea who served two non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of Tuvalu. He first served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2006, from the resignation of his predecessor, Saufatu Sopoanga, until the defeat of his Cabinet in the 2006 general election...
's government in December 2010, along with a backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
and Home Affairs Minister Willy Telavi
Willy Telavi
Willy Telavi is a Tuvaluan politician. He became Prime Minister of Tuvalu on 24 December 2010.-Background:Telavi is from Nanumea. His career in the Tuvalu Police Force culminated in his appointment as Police Commissioner in 1993, a position he held for thirteen years...
, enabling the latter to oust Toafa in a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
, and replace him. As Prime Minister, Telavi appointed Italeli Minister for Works and Natural Resources.
Death
He was found dead in his room at the Hotel Elisa in the SamoaSamoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
n capital, Apia, on 20 July 2011. He was in Samoa to attend a Pacific Forum Fisheries Ministers' Meeting. The Samoan police stated that, although the death was sudden, and Italeli was only in his 40s, the death was "likely" to be of natural causes.
His widow, Pelenike Isaia
Pelenike Isaia
Pelenike Tekinene Isaia is a Tuvaluan politician.She worked initially for the Tuvalu Cooperative Society, as its branch manager in Nui.Her career in national politics began when she won the August 2011 by-election for the constituency of Nui, and thus entered Parliament. The by-election had been...
, succeeded him to Parliament in the resulting by-election
Nui by-election, 2011
A by-election was held in the Nui constituency in Tuvalu on 24 August 2011. It was triggered by the death of the incumbent, MP Isaia Italeli, the Minister for Works, who died quite suddenly in late July while in Samoa on government business...
the following month, stating she would continue his work, and thus becoming only the second woman ever to sit in the Tuvaluan Parliament.