Tufele Liamatua

Tufele Faatoia Liamatua, also spelled Tufele Li'amatua, (September 1940 – October 13, 2011) was an American Samoan politician, businessman and paramount chief. He served as the first elected lieutenant governor of American Samoa under former Governor Peter Tali Coleman from 1978 to 1985.

The chiefly title of Tufele before Liamatua's name was bestowed on him by the village of Fitiuta in the Manu'a Islands. He was a paramount chief. His wife, Tofiga, is a longtime nurse at LBJ Tropical Medical Center.

Lieutenant governor U.S. Rep. Phillip Burton of California introduced a Bill on June 10, 1976, in the U.S. House of Representatives to allow for the popular election of the governor and lieutenant governor, rather than appointment by the Interior Secretary. Liamatua was inaugurated as Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa on January 3, 1978. Coleman and Liamatua successfully campaigned for a second full term in office in the 1980 gubernatorial election. Liamatua left office on January 3, 1985, and was succeeded by Eni Faleomavaega.

Public career Liamatua later served as the governor of Manu'a District. He also held the position of police commissioner at one point.

Liamatua called for full autonomy for American Samoa in November 2006, citing a list of political weaknesses which needed to be addressed by the Future Political Status Study Commission. Liamatua recognized that the Governor of American Samoa, elected by the people, could be removed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior at any time. Liamatua also cited three other examples in his argument for complete autonomy for American Samoa. He reiterated that the United Nations lists American Samoa as a non-self governing territory. He also cited American Samoa's application to join the Pacific Islands Forum as an associate member by Governor Togiola Tulafono, which the U.S. State Department wanted to rescind because the application was not handled by the federal government. Finally, Laimatua criticized interference by the U.S. National Park Service on a deal negotiated by Governor Tulafono to construct a McDonald's restaurant on Utulei Beach.

In 2009, Governor Tulafono nominated Liamatua to the board of directors of the LBJ Medical Center. He became the chairman of the House retirement and communications committees.

On November 28, 2010, Secretary Liamatua called on the American Samoan community to help prevent the spread of HIV and AIDs in a keynote speech presented in the run-up to World AIDS Day at a Sunday church service.

Death Tufele Liamatua died unexpectedly in Honolulu, Hawaii, on October 13, 2011, at the age of 71. He was flown back to American Samoa on board a Hawaiian Airlines flight on October 20, 2011.