Siaosi ʻAlokuoʻulu Wycliffe Fusituʻa

Siaosi ‘Alokuo’ulu Wycliffe Fusitu’a
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
In office 1990–1998
Preceded by	Hon. Malupo
Succeeded by	Lord Veikune
Member of the Tongan Parliament for Niuas Nobles' constituency
In office 25 November 2010 – 24 April 2014
Preceded by	Hon. Tangipa
Succeeded by	Mataʻiʻulua ʻi Fonuamotu
In office 14 February 1990 – 10 March 1999
Preceded by	Lord Ma'atu
Succeeded by	Lord Ma'atu
In office 1 May 1981 – 1987
Succeeded by	Lord Ma'atu
Personal details
Born	27 January 1927
Died	24 April 2014(2014-04-24) (aged 87) Nukuʻalofa
Spouse	'Eseta Fusitu'a

Siaosi ‘Alokuo’ulu Wycliffe Fusitu’a, styled Lord Fusitu’a (27 January 1927 – 24 April 2014) was a Tongan politician and noble. He was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga from 1990 to 1998.

Early life

Fusitu’a was born a commoner and was adopted by Tevita ʻAlokuoʻulu.^[1] He was educated at Wesley College, Auckland, the University of Auckland,^[1] and Australian National University, where he studied law.^[2] He worked in the Printing Department and then for the Supreme Court of Tonga as an interpreter.^[1] In 1967 he married 'Eseta Fusitu'a. He was appointed to the noble title of Fusitu’a in 1981.^[1]

Political career

He was first elected into Parliament as the Niuas Noble Representative in the 1981 Tongan general election.^[1] He lost his seat in the 1987 election to Lord Ma'atu.^[3]: 365 He was a member of the Anti-Communist League, and during the 1990 election he led the conservative, anti-democratic faction among the nobles, attempting to enlist the church to back a "church and state" campaign and encourage a member of the royal family to stand as a people's representative on Tongatapu.^[3]: 365 After being elected, he was appointed Speaker, a position he held until 1998.^[1] As Speaker he clashed frequently with pro-democracy People's Representatives such as ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, and was in turn targeted by them as an example of the moral bankruptcy of the government.^[4] He lost his seat at the 1999 election on a coin-toss,^[4] but was re-elected in 2010.^[5]

He died in Nukuʻalofa in 2014^[6] and was succeeded as Lord Fusituʻa and as Niuas Noble Representative by his son Mataʻiʻulua ʻi Fonuamotu.^[7]

Honours

National honours

• Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Grand Cross (31 July 2008).^[8]

References

1. ""Late Lord Fusitu'a achieved four levels of God's goodness" – Dr. Tevita Havea says". Parliament of Tonga. 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
2. "Tongans Honour Their Own". Canberra Times. 11 October 1984. p. 3. Retrieved 29 January 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
3. Hills, Rodney C. (1991). "The 1990 Election in Tonga" (PDF). The Contemporary Pacific. 3 (2): 357–378. JSTOR 23699933. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
4. Campbell, I. C. (1999). "The Democracy Movement and the 1999 Tongan Elections". Journal of Pacific History. 34 (3): 267. JSTOR 25169449.
5. "Vaea and Tu'ilakepa to enter House in Nobles seats". Matangi Tonga. 25 November 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012.
6. "Lord Fusitu'a dies". Matangi Tonga. 29 April 2014. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014.
7. "Lord Fusitu'a takes his father's seat in Tonga parliament". RNZ. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
8. "Royal orders presented at Palace". Matangi Tonga. 1 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.