Page 27 - IB July 2020

Niue

SIR TOKE TALAGI: A PACIFIC ICON

Former Niue Premier Sir Toke Talagi will be laid to rest on continue to be a central part of our overall regional health
Monday 27 July. agenda,” said the Prime Minister. “The realisation of the
Sir Toke Talagi passed away after a prolonged illness, soon Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area, the second largest marine
after arriving home on a private chartered flight from New protected reserve in the Pacific, is another key accomplish-
Zealand where he had been medevaced a week earlier. ment of Sir Toke’s enduring leadership.”
The funeral will be held after his family finishes it’s 14-day New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she
self-quarantine. In a statement announcing his death, the spoke with Sir Toke recently: “We talked about Niue’s Covid
family thanked the “medical teams of the Niue Foou Hospi- response, the people of Niue and his recent book. He was
tal, the Auckland City Hospital and the New Zealand Air Am- fiercely proud of Niue, and rightly so. It was a place he dedi-
bulance Service, for the unwavering care given to our dearest cated his life and service to.”
father, and the Government of Niue for honouring all of our Dr Colin Tuikuitonga, a Niuean and former Pacific Communi-
wishes to bring him home to spend his final days.” ty Director General who worked with Sir Toke, told Radio New
Sir Toke held business interests in shipping, tourism and Zealand that the leader will be remembered as one of Niue’s
airline-related industries. He was Niue’s first Consul General greatest advocates.
from 1981 to 1984, in Auckland and was first elected to Niue’s “I think Toke was one of those unusual Niueans, he was
assembly in 1999, holding portfolios in finance, economics, very determined, he built himself a business enterprise from
telecommunications, education, environment and external nothing, I guess you could say, and he was always someone
affairs. He was elected Premier in 2008, a position he held who thought outside of the box.”
until last month. “He was always creative, he believed fiercely in Niue and
Niueans doing more for themselves. I think he was rather
TRIBUTES impatient for some of the things that was going on and I know
During his tenure Sir Toke was a strong voice for Pacific na- he did a lot, particularly for tourism in his term as Premier.
tions in international climate change fora, calling for global
action on emission reduction. He was a founding member of editor@islandsbusiness.com
the Polynesian Leaders Group, began diplomatic relations
with China, and domestically drove tax reforms.
Incumbent Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi served in Sir Toke’s
past two cabinets and said his predecessor was a dedicated Island
politician, diplomat, statesman as well as a devoted husband, Community
father, and grandfather. Farming
“The country mourns the loss of a cherished son and great
leader. His legacy lives on with the work he has completed
for our small island nation. He will be remembered for his
dedication to Niue and his commitment to a prosperous Niue
– Niue ke Monuina. His passion was the promotion of the Ni-
uean language and education of our young people, the future
leaders of Niue.”
This achievement was also recognised by the Governor- Reseed reefs with “farmed” giant clams from Atoll Beauties exported to the world.
General of the Realm of New Zealand, Dame Patsy Reddy, Tridacna maxima, Tridacna gigas, Tridacna Squamosa, Hippopus Hippopus
who invested Sir Toke with his knighthood in 2017. She said:
“I pay particular tribute to the resurgence of the Niuean lan-
guage and culture that flourished under his leadership.”
Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna recognised his con-
tribution as an “unwavering champion of fundamental Pacific
values of family, collectivism, reciprocity and respect. These
values were never more apparent than during his passionate
advocacy and leadership on issues which presented unique
challenges to the communities of Small Island States to which
Niue and the Cook Islands both belong.”
“His unwavering activism in encouraging vigorous health
initiatives, including addressing the serious threat posed by Atoll Beauties
Non-Communicable Diseases to the well-being of our Pacific PO Box 384,
People, has been long supported by our Government and will Bikenibeu, Tarawa, Kiribati
atoll.beauties@gmail.com

Islands Business, July 2020 27