Edwin Tsitsi
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Short description|Nauruan politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =The Honourable
|name = Edwin Tsitsi
|honorific-suffix =MP
|image =
|office = Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru
|term_start = 22 December 1976
|term_end = 30 December 1976
|predecessor = Kenas Aroi
|successor = David Gadaraoa
|constituency_MP2 = Aiwo
|parliament2 = Nauruan
|predecessor2 = Position established
|successor2 = René Harris
|term_start2 = 31 January 1968
|term_end2 = 30 December 1976
|birth_date = {{birth date|1925|1|17|df=y}}
|birth_place = Nauru
|death_date = {{death date and age|1997|5|20|1925|1|17|df=y}}
|death_place =
|nationality =
|spouse =
|party =
|relations =
|children =
|residence =
|alma_mater =
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|footnotes =
}}
Samuel Edwin Tsitsi (17 January 1925{{snds}}20 May 1997) was a Nauruan politician.
Biography
Tsitsi was born on 17 January 1925. His father was Samuel Tsitsi. He was a member of the Eamwidara tribe.{{Cite journal |last=Cain|first=M. B.|date=4 June 1997|title=BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES ORDINANCE|url=http://ronlaw.gov.nr/nauru_lpms/files/gazettes/77de36cccf0860ede87d63cf20f1efe1.pdf|journal=Republic of Nauru Government Gazette |issue=44|page=5}} In 1939, he entered the medical service as an apprentice in a pharmacy in Sydney, Australia. In 1954, again in Sydney, he trained to become a pharmacist.{{cite book |last=Pacific Publications|first= |date=1968|title=Pacific Islands Year Book and Who's who, Issue 10|trans-title= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HyYfAQAAMAAJ|page=676|language=English |location= |publisher=Google Books |isbn=}}
In December 1964, there was a by-election to fill a vacancy in the Nauruan Local Government Council caused by the death of Councillor Raymond Gadabu. In the four-way election, Tsitsi was elected.{{cite web|author=Parliament of Australia|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2579189230/view?sectionId=nla.obj-2628930437&partId=nla.obj-2585002952#page/n19/mode/1up|title=Report to the General Assembly of the United Nations on the administration of the Territory of Nauru 1964/1965, PP no. 298|work=|date=1966|page=14|accessdate=10 June 2023}} In 1966, Tsitsi was elected to the Legislative Assembly and re-elected to the Local Government Council. He represented the Aiwo district in both.{{cite web|author=Parliament of Australia|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2771734986/view?partId=nla.obj-2779710888#page/n15/mode/1up/|title=Report to the General Assembly of the United Nations on the administration of the Territory of Nauru 1966/1968, PP no. 83 |work=|date=1970|pages=8-9|accessdate=10 June 2023}}
In 1968, Tsitsi was elected to the first parliament of Nauru. He was nominated for Council of State, but failed election.{{Cite journal |last=Inder|first=Stuart|date=1 March 1968|title=Off to a good, cautious start, but Nauru's problems are still ahead of her|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-326942378/view?partId=nla.obj-326970756#page/n32/mode/1up|journal=Pacific Islands Monthly|issue=3|page=31}} Tsitsi was re-elected to parliament in 1971, 1973, and 1976.{{Cite journal |last=Ayers|first=J. R.|date=25 January 1971|title=DECLARATION OF POLL|url=http://ronlaw.gov.nr/nauru_lpms/files/gazettes/d6080a6f055b552bf05e6db43489404c.pdf|journal=Republic of Nauru Government Gazette |issue=6|page=2}}{{Cite journal |last=Sadaraka|first=S. M.|date=17 December 1973|title=DECLARATION OF POLL|url=http://ronlaw.gov.nr/nauru_lpms/files/gazettes/99f01f32a71e864d97e6432c5711b6e1.pdf|journal=Republic of Nauru Government Gazette |issue=58|page=1}}{{Cite journal |last=Gillet|first=S.|date=20 December 1976|title=DECLARATION OF POLL|url=http://ronlaw.gov.nr/nauru_lpms/files/gazettes/9809b4e654635639d4e137647e53276c.pdf|journal=Republic of Nauru Government Gazette |issue=65|page=1}} After Parliament Speaker Kenas Aroi accepted a ministerial post from President Hammer DeRoburt, Tsitsi was elected speaker on 22 December 1976. After being unable to keep order, Tsitsi resigned his parliamentary seat on 30 December.{{Cite journal |last=|first=|date=1 February 1977|title=No Fun and Games When Party Politics Creeps Up on Nauru|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-334870300/view?sectionId=nla.obj-349480222&searchTerm=Edwin+Tsitsi&partId=nla.obj-334909797#page/n8/mode/1up/|journal=Pacific Islands Monthly|issue=2|pages=9-10}}{{cite web|last=Blair|first=Jonny|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnydontstopliving/50661223966/in/album-72157717092253741/|title=Plaque entitled "Speakers of Parliament" in Yaren, Nauru, in the photo album Nauru: Yaren, The Capital City|website=Flickr|date=6 August 2019|accessdate=10 June 2023}} In the by-election for his seat in February 1977, Tsitsi was defeated by René Harris.{{Cite journal |last=Gillet|first=S.|date=16 February 1977|title=BY-ELECTION - CONSTITUENCY OF AIWO|url=http://ronlaw.gov.nr/nauru_lpms/files/gazettes/6cc2e5e4d681743a0500a80c86510e1f.pdf|journal=Republic of Nauru Government Gazette |issue=14|page=1}}
Tsitsi again attempted to regain his seat in the Aiwo Constituency in the 1980 election, but was defeated.{{Cite journal |last=Star|first=T. W.|date=8 December 1980|title=DECLARATION.OF ELECTION|url=http://ronlaw.gov.nr/nauru_lpms/files/gazettes/97bcb4fbb4480a1468344f41cb7f191c.pdf|journal=Republic of Nauru Government Gazette |issue=78|page=1}} By 1981, Tsitsi was serving as secretary for the Local Government Council.{{cite news|last=Simpson|first=John M.|title=Majuro: Optimism despite frustrations|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pacific-daily-news-majuro-optimism-desp/126195939/|newspaper=Pacific Daily News|date=6 December 1981|page=14|via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=5 July 2023}} In July 1981, MP René Harris resigned to contest a by-election and test his support. Tsitsi ran in this election, but was defeated by Harris again.{{Cite journal |last=|first=|date=1 September 1981|title=Nauru member bounces back|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-342084015/view?sectionId=nla.obj-345639665&partId=nla.obj-342100848#page/n43/mode/1up/search/|journal=Pacific Islands Monthly|issue=9|page=44}}