Tapunuu Niko Lee Hang (1953/1954[1] – 29 November 2022)[2] was a Samoan politician and Cabinet Minister. He was a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.
Tapunuu Niko Lee Hang | |
|---|---|
 Hang in 2019 | |
| Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure | |
| In office 18 March 2016 – 24 May 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi |
| Preceded by | Manu'alesagalala Enokati Posala |
| Succeeded by | Olo Fiti Vaai |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 24 April 2006 – 21 March 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Misa Telefoni Retzlaff |
| Succeeded by | Faumuina Tiatia Liuga |
| Member of the Samoa Parliament for Vaimauga No. 3 | |
| In office 9 April 2021 – 29 November 2022 | |
| Preceded by | none (constituency created) |
| Succeeded by | TBA |
| Member of the Samoa Parliament for Urban East | |
| In office 4 March 2016 – 9 April 2021 | |
| Preceded by | none (constituency created) |
| Member of the Samoa Parliament for Individual Voters | |
| In office 18 December 2001 – 4 March 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Chan Chui Van Sung |
| Succeeded by | none (constituency abolished) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1953/1954 |
| Died | 29 November 2022 (aged 68) Motoʻotua, Samoa |
| Political party | Human Rights Protection Party |
Hang was an accountant by profession and a former Public Trustee.[1] He was educated at Waikato University in New Zealand and the University of New England in Australia.[1] He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa as one of two parliamentary representatives reserved for Individual Voters in a by-election in December 2001. In January 2002 he was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary to Minister of Justice.[3] In 2004 he was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary to minister of Revenue. He was re-elected at the 2006 election and appointed Minister of Finance.[4] He was re-elected again in the 2011 election, but replaced as Finance Minister by Faumuina Tiatia Liuga.[5] From 2012 to 2014 Hang opposed plans to replace the individual voter seats with two urban seats.[6][7]
After serving a term as a backbencher, he was re-appointed to Cabinet following the 2016 election as Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure.[8][9] In September 2018 he claimed that the chief executive of the Ministry of Works, Afamasaga Su’a Pou Onesemo, had been fired for poor management.[10] He retracted the claim two days later.[11]
Following the abolition of his urban voters seat he contested the new seat of Vaimauga No. 3 in the 2021 Samoan general election and was re-elected.[12]
Tapunuu died at Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital in Motoʻotua on 29 November 2022, at the age of 68.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c Lanuola Tusani Tupufia (10 April 2016). "Minister vows for truth and justice". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ a b Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (29 November 2022). "M.P. for Vaimauga No. 3 passes away". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ^ "LEE HANG Niko". Parliament of Samoa. Archived from the original on 24 August 2007.
- ^ "Five new faces in new Samoa cabinet". RNZ. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Former opposition leader in Samoa joins new ruling party cabinet". RNZ. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Two Samoan MPs strongly opposed to plans to replace their individual voters' seats". RNZ. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Samoa MPs Express Opposition To Constitutional Changes". Pacific Islands Report. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Many New Faces in Samoa Cabinet". Talanei. 22 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Former Samoa deputy PM left out of cabinet". RNZ. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu (19 September 2018). "P.S.C. terminates services of Public Works C.E.O." Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu (21 September 2018). ""I was wrong," Minister admits error in reading of Public Works C.E.O. decision". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (20 April 2021). "Vaimauga candidate considers petition". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 June 2021.