The 16th Parliament final session to officially end its 5-year term was made more memorable, with the retirement after long political careers of several veteran members.
The political journey had reached the end for Speaker of the House, Toleafoa Fa’afisi and the Minister of Women and Community Affairs, Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama.
Associate Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Fa’aso’otauloa Pati Taulapapa and Falealupo opposition MP Aeau Peniamina were stepping down too.
The 79-year-old MP Aeau Peniamina was the longest serving MP in the departing group.
He sparked a heartfelt rush of warmth when he addressed Parliament for the last time after a political career that spanned 26 years.
Among the highlights of his long distinguished service was being elected Speaker of the House in 1985.
The benefits of their long service in our nation building process are held in respect as leaders of Samoa.
When Parliament finally closed and national attention turned to the April general elections, the interest was briefly distracted by the bestowal of the prominent chiefly title Faumuina.
The cultural event was a paramount landmark for the Faleata district village of Lepea where the rule of Faumuina title holds sway above all else.
The new Faumuina, Mr. Opapo Oeti, joined the prominent lineup of former titleholders that included Samoa’s first Prime Minister, Fiame Mataafa Faumuina Mulinu’u II.
The late Cabinet Minister and Member of the Council of Deputies Faumuina Anapapa was another.
He was the last person to hold the title before the family clan agreed on the new holder as his successor after many years of division that took its toll on unity.
The new Faumuina has promised that as holder of the title his primary goal is to unite the family again.
“Unity brings peace and harmony to a family and as holder of the Faumuina title the responsibility is on me,” Faumuina Opapo Oeti vowed.
The year was finally coming to an end when retired Chief Justice Patu Falefatu Sapolu died from a terminal illness.
The 70-year-old Patu was Chief Justice from 1992 until his retirement in 2019.
All of his primary and secondary education was done in Samoa until left for University studies in New Zealand where he graduated with a law degree in 1975.
He was also the holder of a Bachelor and a Master of Arts degrees.
His career in law started when he joined the Office of the Attorney General as a legal officer and went on to become Attorney General from 1984 -1991.
He stepped up to become Chief Justice in 1992 as only the second Samoan to hold the position.
He is survived by his wife Tuitama Iliganoa Sapolu.
Another notable passing as the year ended was the Bureau of Statistics CEO Ali’imuamua Mrs. Malaefono Ta’aloga at her Moata’a-uta home.
She was one of the longest serving staff of the Bureau with a career started in 1987 and was appointed to head the Bureau in 2018.
Ali’imuamua graduated from the University of the South Pacific with a Bachelor in Economics and Administration and the holder of a Masters in Demography from the Australian National University.
Blessed are those who die in the Lord