Naama Maheu Latasi

Naama Maheu Latasi, Lady Latasi, OBE (died 16 March 2012) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. She stood for election in the constituency of Nanumea in 1989 and was elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu. Lady Latasi served as Minister of Health, Education and Community Services in the first Government of Prime Minister of Tuvalu Bikenibeu Paeniu. She was the first female member of parliament in Tuvaluan history. An amazing feat, that served to both pave the way for other aspiring female members of parliament today, but propelled the movement of gender equality. She served in Parliament from 1989 to 1997.[1]

Naama Maheu Latasi

OBE
In office
1989–1997

Involvement in the Girl Guides movement

In 1966 she set up the Olave Kindergarten, named after the founder of the Girl Guides movement, Lady Olave Baden Powell.[2] In 1975 Lady Latasi was influential in setting up the headquarters for the Girl Guides Association of Tuvalu in Funafuti following the separation of the Ellice Islands from the Gilbert Islands. She was appointed the first Tuvalu Girl Guides Commissioner.[2]

Biography

Lady Latasi was the first woman to be elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu.[3] She remained the only woman ever to have served in the Tuvaluan Parliament until Pelenike Isaia won the August 2011 by-election for the constituency of Nui.[1][4]

In the 1993 New Year Honours she was appointed an OBE.

She was married to Sir Kamuta Latasi, a former Prime Minister of Tuvalu and subsequently Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu.[1] Lady Latasi died on 16 March 2012.[2]

See also

Notes and references
  1. "Women Need Support to Overcome Barriers Entering Parliament", Solomon Times, 11 May 2010
  2. "The first elected female Member of Parliament in Tuvalu, Lady Sapeta Naama Maheu Laatasi, laid to rest in Funafuti" (PDF). Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter (TPB: 01/2012). 2 May 2012.
  3. "Country profile: Tuvalu", The Guardian, 25 April, 20098
  4. "Tuvalu Government set to retain power" Archived 17 July 2012 at Archive.today, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 24 August 2011


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