Tearii Alpha
{{Short description|French Polynesian politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Tearii Alpha
|honorific-suffix =
|image = File:Tearii Alpha IMG 5847.jpg
|caption = Alpha in 2019
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|office3 = Vice-President of French Polynesia
|president3 = Édouard Fritch
|term_start3 = 17 September 2020
|term_end3 = 4 November 2021
|predecessor3 = Teva Rohfritsch
|successor3 = Jean-Christophe Bouissou
|office4 =
|president4 = Gaston Tong Sang
|term_start4 = 1 March 2011
|term_end4 = 1 April 2011
|predecessor4 = Édouard Fritch
|successor4 = Antony Géros
|office7 = Minister of Agriculture, Blue Economy and Industry
|president7 = Édouard Fritch
|term_start7 = 17 September 2020
|term_end7 = 15 May 2023
|predecessor7 = Teva Rohfritsch (Blue Economy)
|successor7 = Taivini Teai
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|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|12|5|df=yes}}
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|party = Tapura Huiraatira
To Tatou Aia
|alma_mater =
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}}
Tearii Te Moana Alpha (born 5 December 1971) is a French Polynesian politician. Since 2014 he has served as Mayor of Teva I Uta.{{cite web |url=https://commune-tevaiuta.pf/le-maire/ |title=Le maire |language=fr |publisher=Commune de Teva I Uta |access-date=30 December 2021}} He was Vice-President of French Polynesia briefly in 2011, and again from 2020-2021. He is a founding member of Tahoeraa Huiraatira.{{cite web |url=https://actu.fr/politique/tearii-alpha-a-repris-sa-liberte_46244743.html |title=Tearii Alpha a repris sa liberté |language=fr |publisher=actu.fr |date=5 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}}
In 1997 Alpha completed a thesis in biological sciences at the French Pacific University.{{cite thesis |url=https://www.theses.fr/1997PACI0014 |title=Etude des concretes et des essences de santals d'origine oceanienne : elucidation de nouveaux sesquiterpenoides par la rmn multi-impulsionnelle et bidimensionnelle |author=Tearii Alpha |publisher=Université française du Pacifique |language=fr |date=1997 |type=PhD |access-date=30 December 2021}}
In October 2004 he was appointed Minister of Fisheries in the government of Gaston Flosse.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/152117/french-polynesia's-huiraatira-names-alpha-head-of-youth-wing |title=French Polynesia's Huiraatira names Alpha head of youth wing |publisher=RNZ |date=7 December 2004 |access-date=30 December 2021}} In December of that year he was appointed as head of Tahoeraa Huiraatira's youth wing. He later served as Minister of Lands.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/194353/tahiti-call-for-public-debate-on-land-ownership-disputes |title=Tahiti call for public debate on land ownership disputes |publisher=RNZ |date=16 December 2010 |access-date=30 December 2021}}
On 2 March 2011 he was appointed as Vice President by Gaston Tong Sang, replacing Édouard Fritch.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/195657/tong-sang-names-alpha-as-new-french-polynesia-vice-president |title=Tong Sang names Alpha as new French Polynesia vice-president |publisher=RNZ |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=30 December 2021}} He ran for the French National Assembly as a candidate for To Tatou Aia in the 2012 election.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/202952/tong-sang-nominated-as-french-polynesia-candidate-for-french-assembly |title=Tong Sang nominated as French Polynesia candidate for French assembly |publisher=RNZ |date=1 March 2012 |access-date=30 December 2021}}
In march 2014 he was elected mayor of Teva I Uta, defeating Valentina Cross.{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Pas-de-vague-orange-en-Polynesie-ou-de-nombreux-maires-sortants-sont-reelus_a97894.html |title=Pas de vague orange en Polynésie où de nombreux maires sortants sont réélus |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=31 March 2014 |access-date=9 December 2022}}
In April 2018, in the leadup to the 2018 elections, he was accused with other Tapura Huiraatira members of using public money to fund his election campaign.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/354537/tahiti-leadership-accused-of-campaign-funding-breach |title=Tahiti leadership accused of campaign funding breach |publisher=RNZ |date=9 April 2018 |access-date=30 December 2021}} In September 2020 he was appointed vice-president following the resignation of Teva Rohfritsch.{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/%E2%80%8BFritch-redistribue-les-cartes_a194446.html |title=Fritch redistribue les cartes |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=17 September 2020 |access-date=24 September 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/426370/alpha-becomes-new-french-polynesia-vice-president |title=Alpha becomes new French Polynesia vice-president |publisher=RNZ |date=18 September 2020 |access-date=28 January 2022}}
On 14 February 2021 he was elected as president of the community of municipalities of Tereheamanu.{{cite web |url=https://outremers360.com/rubrique/tearii-alpha-elu-president-de-tereheamanu-la-communaute-de-communes-de-tahiti-sud |title=Tearii Alpha élu président de Téreheamanu, la communauté de communes de Tahiti Sud |language=fr |publisher=Outremers360 |date=14 February 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}}
In August 2021 a wedding ceremony for Alpha reportedly violated Covid-19 rules.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/448861/tahiti-vice-president-wedding-probed-for-ignoring-covid-19-rules |title=Tahiti vice president wedding probed for ignoring Covid-19 rules |publisher=RNZ |date=10 August 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.radio1.pf/tearii-alpha-ni-remords-ni-regrets-ni-reelles-explications/ |title=Tearii Alpha : ni remords, ni regrets, ni réelles explications |publisher=Radio1 |date=13 October 2021 |language=fr |access-date=30 December 2021}} In November 2021 he was fired as Vice-President after refusing to comply with the territory's mandatory vaccination law.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/455200/french-polynesia-s-vice-president-fired-for-not-getting-jab |title=French Polynesia's vice-president fired for not getting jab |publisher=RNZ |date=8 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/454297/tension-among-tahiti-leaders-over-vaccination-refusal |title=Tension among Tahiti leaders over vaccination refusal |publisher=RNZ |date=26 October 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}} However, he retained his ministerial portfolios,{{cite web |url=https://www.presidence.pf/tearii-alpha-nest-plus-vice-president-mais-reste-ministre/ |title=Tearii Alpha n’est plus Vice-président, mais reste ministre |language=fr |publisher=Presidency of French Polynesia |date=4 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}} a decision which led to the resignation from Cabinet of Nicole Bouteau. He was replaced as Vice-President by Jean-Christophe Bouissou.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/455777/fritch-names-bouissou-as-new-vp-of-french-polynesia |title=Fritch names Bouissou as new VP of French Polynesia |publisher=RNZ |date=15 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}}