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Faumuina Tiatia Faaolatane Liuga (born 19 September 1945) is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.

Faumuina was born in Papa i Palauli and educated at Leulumoega Fou College Malua in Samoa. He studied economics at the University of Samoa from 1982 to 1984, and in 1999 gained an MBA from the unaccredited Washington International University. From 1967 to 1997 he worked for the United Nations Development Programme, serving in Samoa, the Philippines, Fiji, Sudan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Pakistan. From 1997 to 1998 he worked as Chief Administrator for the UN Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq. Between 1999 and 2000 he served as Director of Administration for the UN mission to East Timor before serving as Chief Administrator of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Georgia.

Faumuina was first elected to the Fono as MP for the seat of Palauli-Le-Falefa in the 2001 election. From 2001 to 2006 he served as Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure. He was re-elected in 2006 and appointed Minister of Natural Resources & Environment. In 2007 he chaired the Pacific Games. He was re-elected for a third time at the 2011 and appointed Minister of Finance.

On 16 May 2013 Faumuina survived a caucus vote after fellow members of his party complained of mismanagement and misuse of funds. In April 2014, Faumuina resigned, after some twenty years in Cabinet, following "allegations of abuse in the performance of his ministerial duties". Prime Minister Malielegaoi took over the Finance portfolio himself. Faumuina was subsequently appointed as Associate Minister for Natural Resources and Environment.

In March 2016, in the leadup to the 2016 election, Faumuina was banished from his village after successfully challenging the eligibility of paramount chief Le Tagaloa Pita, who wished to run against him. After he was re-elected he ran for deputy leader of the HRPP, but was defeated by Fiame Naomi Mata'afa in a caucus vote. He was not appointed to Cabinet.

Liuga lost his seat at the April 2021 election.

References

1. ^ "Minister's profile". Samoa Ministry of Finance. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
2. "Faumuina Tiatia Liuga". Parliament of Samoa. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
3. "Former opposition leader in Samoa joins new ruling party cabinet". RNZ. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
4. Niccola Hazelman-Siona (17 May 2013). "Minister survives". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
5. "HRPP "has collapsed"?". Samoa Observer. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
6. "Samoa Finance Minister resignation expected to mend party rift". RNZ. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
7. "Samoa's PM new head of Finance Ministry". RNZ. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
8. "Samoa's former finance minister appointed new role". RNZ. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
9. "Samoa village gives cabinet minister a life ban". RNZ. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
10. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia (6 March 2016). "Fiame topples Faumuina, elected Deputy Leader". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
11. "Samoa's former deputy PM left out". RNZ. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
12. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (16 April 2021). "Final count changes winner for Palauli No.2 seat". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 May 2021.

• Members of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa
• Living people
• Finance ministers of Samoa
• Government ministers of Samoa
• Human Rights Protection Party politicians
• 1945 births
• People from Palauli