By Staff Writer
Speaker Toleafoa Fa’afisi was unable to hold back tears as he called on Parliament to be upstanding in a moment of silence to honour the sudden passing of two of the members.
Incumbent MP for Lefaga and Falese’ela, Va’afusuaga Toleafoa Ken Poutoa, died yesterday, Tuesday 19 January 2020 in New Zealand where he was undergoing medical treatment.
Speaker Toleafoa acknowledged the late MPs absence for medical treatment at the opening of Parliament yesterday.
MP Va’afusuaga is a first term MP and his sudden passing comes at the start of the farewell session of the XVI Parliament this week before it is dissolved in the lead up to the General Elections in April.
The late MP is the second to pass away during the current sitting Parliament. The first was the late MP Pau Sefo Pau of Fa’asaleleaga No. 2.
Parliament also honoured this morning the passing of former Fa’asaleleaga No. 1 MP Fiu Loimata II. He served in the XII Parliament from 1996-2001.
