Tomasi Puapua
{{EngvarB|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Right Honourable Sir
| name = Tomasi Puapua
| honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCMG|KBE}}
| order1 = 6th
| office1 = Governor-General of Tuvalu
| term_start1 = 26 June 1998
| term_end1 = 9 September 2003
| monarch1 = Elizabeth II
| primeminister1 = Bikenibeu Paeniu
Ionatana Ionatana
Lagitupu Tuilimu (acting)
Faimalaga Luka
Koloa Talake
Saufatu Sopoanga
| predecessor1 = Tulaga Manuella
| successor1 = Faimalaga Luka
| order2 = 2nd
| office2 = Prime Minister of Tuvalu
| term_start2 = 8 September 1981
| term_end2 = 16 October 1989
| monarch2 = Elizabeth II
| governor-general2 = Fiatau Penitala Teo
Tupua Leupena
| predecessor2 = Toaripi Lauti
| successor2 = Bikenibeu Paeniu
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|09|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Nanumanga, Gilbert and Ellice Islands
| death_date =
| death_place =
| image =
| spouse = Lady Riana Puapua
}}
Sir Tomasi Puapua {{postnominals|country=GBR|GCMG|KBE}} (born 10 September 1938){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mz-fXRsedPMC&q=Tomasi+Puapua&pg=PA536|title=Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders|isbn=9781857431261|last1=East|first1=Roger|last2=Thomas|first2=Richard|year=2003}} is a political figure who represented Vaitupu in the Parliament of Tuvalu. He attended the Fiji School of Medicine and the Otago University Medical School. He married Riana Puapua.
Prime minister
He was the second Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 8 September 1981 to 16 October 1989. In a country which sees frequent changes among its head of government, Puapua also held the role as foreign minister.
The first elections after independence will not held until 8 September 1981. 26 candidates contested the 12 seats. Puapua was elected as prime minister with a 7:5 majority over the group a members of parliament headed by former Prime Minister Toaripi Lauti.{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |year =1981|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/TUVALU_1981_E.PDF| access-date=7 March 2013}} Tomasi Puapua was re-elected in the general election held on 12 September 1985 continued as Prime Minister.{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |year =1985|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/TUVALU_1985_E.PDF| access-date=7 March 2013}}
The next general election was held on 26 March 1989. In the subsequent parliament the members elected Bikenibeu Paeniu.{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |year =1989|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2327_89.htm| access-date=7 March 2013}}
Following the general election that was held on 25 November 1993 the members of parliament were evenly split in their support of the incumbent Prime Minister Bikenibeu Paeniu and Tomasi Puapua.{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |year =1993|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2327_93.htm| access-date=7 March 2013}} As a consequence, the Governor-General dissolved the parliament on 22 September and a further election took place on 25 November 1993.{{cite web| last = Taafaki | first =Tauaasa |title= South Pacific – Governance in the Pacific: the dismissal of Tuvalu's Governor-General |publisher= Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, ANU (No 96/5) |page=|year = 1996|url= https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/210296/1/b1967241x.pdf| accessdate=28 August 2021}} The subsequent parliament elected Kamuta Latasi as prime minister on 10 December 1993.
Speaker
He was elected Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu (Palamene o Tuvalu) during government of Kamuta Latasi from 1993 to 1998.{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu) |year =1998|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2327_98.htm| access-date=7 March 2013}}
Governor-General
Having exercised the senior executive office for many years, Puapua later served as Governor-General of Tuvalu as the representative of Elizabeth II, Queen of Tuvalu from 1998 to 2003,{{cite book |last1= Craig |first1= Robert D. |title= Historical Dictionary of Polynesia|year= 2010 |publisher= Scarecrow Press}} which is a higher office in protocol terms, but is more ceremonial in nature.
Commonwealth honours
In the 1998 Birthday Honours, Puapua was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for services to medicine, politics and the community.{{cite web| work= The London Gazette|title= Eights Supplement of Friday, 12th June 1998 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/55162/supplement/1/data.pdf| access-date=11 April 2015}}
In 2002, Puapua was appointed to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG).{{cite web|last= |first= |work= London Gazette (Supplement: 56746)|title= Honours and Awards|date= 8 November 2002 |url= https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/L-56746-UN-001 |access-date=29 October 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{succession box | title=Prime Minister of Tuvalu | before=Toaripi Lauti | after=Bikenibeu Paeniu | years=1981–1989}}
{{succession box | title=Governor-General of Tuvalu | before=Sir Tulaga Manuella | after=Faimalaga Luka | years=1998–2003}}
{{s-end}}
{{Prime Minister of Tuvalu}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Puapua, Tomasi}}
Category:Governors-general of Tuvalu
Category:Tuvaluan Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Category:Tuvaluan Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Category:Prime ministers of Tuvalu