Koloa Talake

The Right Honourable
Koloa Talake
7th Prime Minister of Tuvalu
In office
14 December 2001 – 2 August 2002
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor‑GeneralTomasi Puapua
Preceded byFaimalaga Luka
Succeeded bySaufatu Sopoanga
Minister of Finance of Tuvalu
In office
1993–1996
Preceded byAlesana Seluka
Succeeded byAlesana Seluka
Personal details
Born(1934-06-07)7 June 1934
Vaitupu, Gilbert and Ellice Islands
Died26 May 2008(2008-05-26) (aged 73)
Auckland, New Zealand

Koloa Fineaso Talake (7 June 1934 – 26 May 2008)[1] was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He represented the constituency of Vaitupu in the Parliament of Tuvalu from 1993. He served as Minister of Finance (1993-1996) and was the prime minister for a short period of time.[2]

Previous to his political career he was the auditor of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony (1973-1975), then auditor (1976-1977) and finance secretary (1977-1978) of Tuvalu.[3]

As a member of parliament he moved the vote of no confidence that forced Prime Minister Bikenibeu Paeniu to resign in 1999.[3]

Prime Minister of Tuvalu

Talake served as the seventh Prime Minister of Tuvalu, and Foreign Minister, for nine months, 14 December 2001 – 2 August 2002, after defeating Faimalaga Luka in a vote of no confidence.[4]

Talake was defeated in elections in 2002.[5]

Significant issues during premiership

In that time, he negotiated the sale of that country's Internet domain name, .tv, to an American company in order to bring an income to his resource-poor country.

In 2002, he coordinated an effort, together with the leaders of Kiribati and Maldives to sue the governments of the United States and Australia for failing to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and for their greenhouse gas emissions, which the leaders claimed, resulted in rising sea levels that would eventually flood their countries.[6][2]

Succession and later life

Talake was not re-elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election and was succeeded as Prime Minister of Tuvalu by Saufatu Sopoanga.[7]

Having left office in 2002, Talake relocated to Auckland, New Zealand, where his children were living.[8]

See also

Preceded by Prime Minister of Tuvalu
2001-2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Finance of Tuvalu
1993–1996 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ "Hon Koloa Fineaso Talake 1934 - 2008 BillionGraves Record".
  2. ^ a b Levine, Mark (1 December 2002). "Tuvalu Toodle-oo". Outside. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Rulers Index". Rulers Org. 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  4. ^ Page, Kogan (2004). Asia and Pacific Review 2003/04. Kogan Page Publishers. p. 261.
  5. ^ "Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. 2002. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Tiny Pacific nation takes on Australia". BBC. 4 March 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Preliminary Election Results - P.M. Talake Voted Out". Tuvalu Online. 26 July 2002. Archived from the original on May 10, 2006. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  8. ^ "Early signs: New Zealand's climate refugees". living on earth. 31 March 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2015.


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