Isaia Italeli
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Isaia Italeli Taeia
|image =
|caption =
|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date = 20 July 2011
|death_place = Apia, Samoa
|office = Minister for Works and Natural Resources
|primeminister1 = Willy Telavi
|term_start1 = 24 December 2010
|term_end1 = 20 July 2011
|predecessor1 = Vete Sakaio
|successor1 = Willy TelaviItaleli's widow Pelenike Isaia was appointed to Cabinet in his place, but as Minister for Home Affairs. The Works and Natural Resources portfolio was then taken on by the incumbent prime minister.
|office2 = Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu
|primeminister2 = Maatia Toafa
|term_start2 = 29 September 2010
|term_end2 = 24 December 2010
|predecessor2 = Kamuta Latasi
|successor2 = Kamuta Latasi
|constituency_MP3 = Nui
|parliament3 = Tuvaluan
|predecessor3 = Iakoba Italeli
|successor3 = Pelenike Isaia
|term_start3 = 16 September 2010
|term_end3 = 20 July 2011
|party = Independent
}}
Isaia Italeli Taeia (1960s – 19/20 July 2011), more commonly known as Isaia Italeli, was a Tuvaluan 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.{{cite news|first=Brian|last=Cannon|title=Tuvalu Election Results|url=http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archives/2010/2010-09-16.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925211043/http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archives/2010/2010-09-16.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=25 September 2010|work=Tuvalu News|publisher=Tuvaluislands.com|date=16 September 2010|accessdate=2010-09-17}}[http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=19569/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl "Meetings can be held, but…"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221103259/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=19569/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl |date=21 February 2011 }}, Islands Business
On 29 September 2010, he was elected Speaker of Parliament.{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |date =2010|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2327_E.htm| accessdate=7 March 2013}} 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.[http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=19569/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl "Meetings can be held, but…"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221103259/http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=19569/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl |date=21 February 2011 }}, Islands Business[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-t/tuvalu.html Tuvalu: Cabinet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528053923/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-t/tuvalu.html |date=28 May 2010 }}, Central Intelligence Agency
Death
He was found dead in his room at the Hotel Elisa in the Samoan capital, Apia, on 20 July 2011.{{cite web| title= State Funeral for the Minister of Natural Resources, Hon Isaia Taeia Italeli | publisher= Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter (TPB: 01/2011) |date= 25 July 2011 |url= http://www.tuvaluislands.com/stamps/phil-bur/newsletter/TPB%20Newsletter%202011-01.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120501160553/http://www.tuvaluislands.com/stamps/phil-bur/newsletter/TPB%20Newsletter%202011-01.pdf|url-status= usurped|archive-date= 1 May 2012|accessdate=20 November 2012}} He was in Samoa to attend a Forum Fisheries Agency 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=61940 |title=Samoa police rule out foul play in death of Tuvalu minister |date=21 July 2011 |work=Radio New Zealand International |accessdate=5 October 2011}} He was buried on Nui on 25 July 2011 following a state funeral.
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.[http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201108/3302279.htm "Tuvalu Government set to retain power"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120717065208/http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201108/3302279.htm |date=17 July 2012 }}, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 24 August 2011[http://solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=5173 "Women Need Support to Overcome Barriers Entering Parliament"], Solomon Times, 11 May 2010
See also
References
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Category:Speakers of the Parliament of Tuvalu
Category:People from Nui (atoll)
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