Samuelu Teo
{{Short description|Tuvaluan politician (1957–2024)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = The Honourable
| name = Samuelu Teo
| honorific_suffix = MP
| image = Tuvalu MP Samuelu Penitala Teo speaking at the 144th IPU Assembly on March 2022.jpg
| caption = Teo in 2022
| office1 = Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu
| term_start1 = 20 September 2019
| term_end1 = 27 January 2024
| primeminister1 = Kausea Natano
| predecessor1 = Otinielu Tausi
| successor1 = Iakoba Italeli
| order2 = Acting
| office2 = Governor-General of Tuvalu
| monarch2 = Elizabeth II
| primeminister2 = Kausea Natano
| term_start2 = January 2021
| term_end2 = 28 September 2021
| predecessor2 = Teniku Talesi (acting)
| successor2 = Tofiga Vaevalu Falani
| office3 = Minister of Works, Energy and Communications (1999–2001); Minister for Natural Resources (2001–2002)
| primeminister3 = Ionatana Ionatana (1999–2000); Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000–2001); Faimalaga Luka (2001); and Koloa Talake (2001–2002)
| term_start3 = 1999
| term_end3 = 2002
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| constituency_MP4 = Niutao
| parliament4 = Tuvaluan
| predecessor4 =
| successor4 =
| term_start4 = 26 March 1998
| term_end4 = 3 August 2006
| constituency_MP5 = Niutao (serving with Fauoa Maani)
| parliament5 = Tuvaluan
| predecessor5 = Vete Sakaio
| successor5 =
| term_start5 = 31 March 2015
| term_end5 = 26 January 2024
| birth_name = Samuelu Penitala Teo
| birth_date = {{birth date|1957|11|24|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|11|13|1957|11|24|df=y}}
| death_place =
| party = Independent
}}
Samuelu Penitala Teo (24 November 1957 – 13 November 2024)[https://rulers.org/indext1.html Index Ta-Ti][https://rulers.org/2024-11.html November 2024] was a Tuvaluan politician. He was the son of Fiatau Penitala Teo who was appointed as the first Governor General of Tuvalu (1978–1986) following independence from Great Britain.{{cite web| work= PacificIslands Report |title= Tuvalu Elects 12 Members of Parliament |date = 27 March 1998 |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/1998/03/27/tuvalu-elects-12-members-parliament| access-date=6 October 2021}} Samuelu Teo himself served as the Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu from January until 28 September 2021.{{cite web |url= https://tuvaluparadise.tv/2021/01/29/lct-moeiteava-christened-and-commissioned/|title= LCT ‘Moeiteava’ Christened And Commissioned |publisher= Kitiona Tausi, Tuvalu Paradise – Issue No. 06/2021|date= 29 January 2021|access-date=16 October 2021}}{{cite web |url= https://www.fj.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/11_000001_00299.html|title= The Presentation of Credentials to Honourable Samuelu Penitala Teo, Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu, by His Excellency Mr. KAWAKAMI Fumihiro, Ambassador of Japan to Tuvalu |publisher= Embassy of Japan in Tuvalu|date= 16 June 2021|access-date=16 October 2021}} He had succeeded Acting Governor-General Teniku Talesi{{cite web |url= https://tuvaluparadise.tv/2020/12/21/government-launches-te-kete/|title= Government Launches "Te Kete" |publisher= Kitiona Tausi, Tuvalu Paradise – Issue No. 12/2020|date= 21 December 2020 |access-date=16 October 2021}} and remained in office until the Rev. Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was sworn in as the 10th Governor-General in September 2021.
He was born on 24 November 1957.{{cite web |title=Tuvalu {{!}} Parliament of Tuvalu |url=https://data.ipu.org/parliament/TV/TV-LC01/ |website=IPU Parline: global data on national parliaments |publisher=IPU}} His spouse was Miliaga Samuelu Teo.{{cite web|title= List Of Participants - PGA 43rd Annual Forum & 12th CAP-ICC|url= https://www.pgaction.org/pdf/2022/annual-forum-lop-2022-en.pdf|publisher= Parliamentarians for Global Action |page=|date=5 November 2022 |access-date=1 November 2023}}
Career
He was first elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu at the 1998 general election to represent the constituency of Niutao. He served as the Minister of Works, Energy and Communications in the governments led by Ionatana Ionatana (1999–2000){{cite web| last = Johnston | first = Martin | work= New Zealand Herald|title= Student to blame for Tuvalu fire |date = 30 June 2000|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=125135 | access-date=11 April 2015}} and Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000–2001). He was the Minister for Natural Resources in the governments led by Faimalaga Luka (2001) and Koloa Talake (2001–2002). He was re-elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election, then lost his seat in the 2006 Tuvaluan general election when the vote of the Tuvaluan electorate resulted in the election of 8 new members to the 15 member parliament.{{cite web| last = Hassall | first = Graham | work= Democracy and Elections project, Governance Program, University of the South Pacific|title= The Tuvalu General Election 2006 |date = 2006|url= https://www.academia.edu/4352305/The_Tuvalu_General_Election_2006| access-date=11 April 2015}}{{cite book|last1= Lansford|first1=Tom|title= Political Handbook of the World 2015|year= 2015 |publisher= CQ Press}}
Samuelu Teo was again elected to represent Niutao in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.{{cite web| last =Pua Pedro & Semi Malaki | work= Fenui News|title=One female candidate make it through the National General Election|date =1 April 2015|url= http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53089893e4b09a0716b753ae/t/551ba1e8e4b0c16e3f9ce4d3/1427874280147/Fenui+Special+Bulletin+April+1.pdf| access-date=1 April 2015}}{{cite web| work= Radio New Zealand |title= Election looks set to return Sopoaga as Tuvalu's PM|date =2 April 2015|url= http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/270287/election-looks-set-to-return-sopoaga-as-tuvalu's-pm| access-date=2 April 2015}}{{cite web| work= Fenui News|title=Tuvalu National Election 2015 Results (Niutao)|date =1 April 2015|url= https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=423610027800178&id=333658940128621| access-date=1 April 2015}} The 2015 election was strongly contested with six candidates including the two incumbent MPs (Vete Sakaio and Fauoa Maani) and three former MPs (Tomu Sione, Tavau Teii and Teo).
Following the 2019 Tuvaluan general election, on 19 September 2019, the members of parliament elected Kausea Natano from Funafuti as prime minister;{{cite web|title= Tuvalu has elected a new Prime Minister - Hon. Kausea Natano |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.facebook.com/fenuinews/|access-date=19 September 2019}}{{cite web|last= Evan Wasuka & Alan Weedon|title= Pacific climate change champion Enele Sopoaga is no longer Tuvalu's PM — so who's next in? |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-19/tuvalu-ousts-enele-sopoaga-as-pm-and-installs-kausea-natano/11528694|access-date=19 September 2019}}{{cite web|last= Colin Packham & Jonathan Barrett|title= Tuvalu changes PM, adds to concerns over backing for Taiwan in Pacific |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-diplomacy-tuvalu/tuvalu-changes-pm-adds-to-concerns-over-backing-for-taiwan-in-pacific-idUSKBN1W400A|access-date=19 September 2019}} and Teo was elected as Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu.{{cite web|title=Kausea Natano new PM of Tuvalu; Sopoaga ousted |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/399106/kausea-natano-new-pm-of-tuvalu-sopoaga-ousted |access-date=19 September 2019}}
He was not re-elected in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.{{cite news| url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/pacific/507716/tuvalu-general-election-six-newcomers-in-parliament | title=Tuvalu general election: Six newcomers in parliament |work=Radio New Zealand |date= 29 January 2024 |access-date=29 January 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Marinaccio|first1=Jess |title=Tuvalu’s 2024 general election: a new political landscape|url=https://devpolicy.org/2024-tuvalu-general-election-a-changing-political-landscape-20240130/ |access-date=30 January 2024 |work=PolicyDevBlog|date=30 January 2024}}
His brother Feleti Penitala Teo{{cite web| first= Samisoni|last= Pareti |url= http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/11th-session-of-the-wcpfc-apia/6415/tuvalu-son-secures-top-wcpfc-job/ |title= Tuvalu ‘son’ secures top WCPFC job | date =3 December 2014|publisher=Island Business |accessdate= 7 February 2015}}{{cite news|author1=|author2=|title=Rulers Index|url=https://rulers.org/indext1.html|publisher=Rulers Org.|date= 2020 |access-date=7 January 2021}} was elected to represent Niutao in the 2024 general election, and was elected as prime minister.{{cite web |first=Kirsty |last=Needham |title=Taiwan ally Tuvalu names Feleti Teo as new prime minister |work=Reuters |date= 26 February 2024|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tuvalu-name-new-prime-minister-monday-2024-02-25/ |access-date=26 February 2024}}{{cite web|first= |last=Agence France-Presse|title=Tuvalu names Feleti Teo prime minister after pro-Taiwan leader Kausea Natano ousted |work=The Guardian|date=26 February 2024|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/26/tuvalu-election-feleti-teo-named-pm-prime-minister-kausea-natano |access-date=26 February 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{Commons}}{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=Mrs. Teniku Talesi Honolulu
{{small|Acting}}}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor General of Tuvalu
Acting|years=2021}}
{{s-aft|after= Tofiga Vaevalu Falani}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teo, Samuelu Penitala}}
Category:Governors-general of Tuvalu