Olo Fiti Vaai

Olo Fiti Afoa Vaai (formally known as Levaopolo Talatonu Vaai)[1] is a Samoan politician and member of the Samoan Parliament.

Olo Fiti Vaai
Member of the Samoa Parliament
for Salega East
Assumed office
4 March 2016
Preceded byTapuai Toese Ah Sam
Member of the Samoa Parliament
for Gagaemauga No. 2
In office
31 March 2006 – 6 November 2015
Preceded byFaasootauloa Pati Taulapapa
Succeeded byFaasootauloa Pati Taulapapa
Personal details
Political partySamoan Democratic United Party
Tautua Samoa Party
F.A.S.T.

Personal life

Vaai was educated at Avele and Samoa College before studying for a Bachelors degree in Telecommunications Engineering at Auckland University of Technology.[2] He subsequently worked for the Samoa Airports Authority as a technical manager and then assistant chief executive.[2] He is from a political family, and his uncle Leilua Manuao served as a Member of parliament for 40 years.[2]

Political career

Vaai was first elected to the Fono in the 2006 Samoan general election as MP for Gagaemauga No. 2, running as a candidate for the Samoan Democratic United Party (SDUP). Following the collapse of the SDUP in 2008 he joined the Tautua Samoa Party, resulting in his seat being declared vacant by the Speaker.[3] The decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Samoa in July 2009, and Vaai retained his seat.[4] He was re-elected as a Tautua candidate in the 2011 election.

In 2015 Vaai decided to switch electorates and contest the seat of Salega East in the 2016 election following a decision by his village to reject a tourism project he had proposed. As a result, he was disqualified from Parliament as he was no longer eligible to represent his old seat.[5] He subsequently announced plans to form a new political party[6] and contested the election as an independent, but after winning re-election he re-joined Tautua.[7] When he switched electorates, he adopted a new title, becoming Olo Fiti Vaai.[8] In the 2016 term he was a vocal critic of the government, being called a "One man Opposition Party" by the media.[2] In May 2019 he was removed from the Finance and Expenditure Committee after criticising government spending decisions.[9] In December 2019 he called on the government to launch an inquiry into the 2019 Samoa measles outbreak, saying "we failed you, Samoa".[10]

In October 2020 Vaai registered to run as a candidate for the F.A.S.T. party in the 2021 election.[9][11] As a result his seat was declared vacant under anti-party-hopping provisions.[12][13] On 14 December 2020 the decision was declared unlawful and invalid by the Supreme Court of Samoa.[14][15]

References
  1. Mata'afa Keni Lesa (10 March 2016). "Different name, same man". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  2. Joyetter Luamanu (30 December 2017). "Olo Levaopolo Fiti Vaai - The One man Opposition Party". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  3. "PacNews: Samoan speaker of parliament rules nine MPs lose seats and face by-elections". 1 June 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  4. "Samoa court reinstates nine MPs, cancels by-elections". Radio New Zealand International. 2 July 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  5. Rita Narayan (6 November 2015). "Levaopolo terminated as a Member of Parliament". Loop Samoa. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  6. "Samoa MP announces planned new party". RNZ. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  7. Tupufia, Lanuola Tusani (18 November 2020). "Count me in, Olo stands up for Tautua". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  8. Mataeliga Pio Sioa (5 March 2016). "HRRP heading for landslide win in Samoan election". Evening Report. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  9. "FAST Welcomes Independent MP Olo Fiti Vaai". Samoa Global News. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  10. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (3 December 2019). ""We failed you, Samoa": Olo Fiti Vaai". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  11. "Independent MP Leatinu'u Wayne Fong chooses the FAST Flag". Talamua. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  12. "Samoa Speaker ousts two independent MPs". RNZ. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  13. Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (18 November 2020). "Speaker officially declares seats vacant". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  14. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (14 December 2020). "Olo and Faumuina delighted, ready for Parliament return". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  15. Mata'afa Keni Lesa (15 December 2020). "Let's embrace spirit of Christmas, Speaker welcomes Olo and Faumuina". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
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