Leota Laki Lamositele | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Leader of Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi | |
| Assumed office 15 January 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Laʻauli Leuatea Polataivao |
| Succeeded by | Titimaea Tafua |
| Minister of Commerce,Industry of Labour | |
| In office 1 October 2023 –14 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | FiamēNaomi Mataʻafa |
| Preceded by | Leatinuu Wayne So'oialo |
| Minister of Women,Community and Social Development | |
| In office 24 May 2021 [a] –1 October 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | FiamēNaomi Mataʻafa |
| Preceded by | Faumuina Tiatia Liuga |
| Succeeded by | Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioʻo |
| Member of the Samoan Parliament for Palauli No. 2 | |
| In office 9 April 2021 –29 August 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Sili Epa Tuioti |
| Succeeded by | Fiu Ponifasio Vasa |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi |
Leota Laki Lamositele-Sio is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the FAST Party. [1]
Leota is a statistician,accountant and manager,who served as Director-General of the National Health Services. [2] After running unsuccessfully as an Independent in the 2016 election,he joined the Human Rights Protection Party. [3] In October 2020 he switched his allegiance to the FAST Party to contest the April 2021 Samoan general election. [2] While preliminary results showed him losing to another FAST candidate,the final result showed him ahead by 9 votes,and he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. [3]
On 24 May 2021 he was appointed Minister of Women,Community and Social Development in the elected cabinet of FiamēNaomi Mataʻafa. [4] The appointment was disputed by the caretaker government. On 23 July 2021 the Court of Appeal ruled that the swearing-in ceremony was constitutional and binding,and that FAST had been the government since 24 May. [5] He was subsequently appointed Associate Minister of Finance,the first time an MP had held both ministerial and associate roles. [6]
In a cabinet reshuffle on 6 September 2023 he was replaced as Minister of Women,Community and Social Development by Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioʻo. Leota was instead appointed Minister of Commerce,Industry of Labour,replacing Leatinuu Wayne So'oialo from 1 October 2023. [7]
On 14 January 2025 he was sacked by prime minister FiamēNaomi Mataʻafa. [8] [9] On 15 January Mataʻafa was expelled from the FAST party and Leota was elected deputy leader. [10] He was replaced by Titimaea Tafua. [11]
He lost his seat in the 2025 Samoan general election. [12]