Council of Deputies explained

The Council of Deputies (sm|Sui O Le Fono a Sui Tofia) is a constitutional body in Samoa. Its members serve as Deputy O le Ao o le Malo and act as head of state when the office of O le Ao o le Malo is vacant or when the incumbent is unable to fulfill their duties due to absence or incapacitation.

The Council was established by the constitution at independence on 1 January 1962. It consists of between one and three members, who are elected by the Legislative Assembly. If there are no members, the Chief Justice acts in their place.^[1] Elections to the Council are required to take place as soon as possible after a new O le Ao o le Malo is elected.^[1]

Members

• Tuiaana Tuimalealiʻifano Suatipatipa II (1962–1974)
• Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV (1968–1970, 1976–1983)^{[2] [3]}
• Mataʻafa Puela Faʻasuamaleaui Patu
• Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II (1993–2001, 2004–2017)
• Faumuina Anapapa (2002–2006)^[4]
• Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi (2004–2007)
• Tuiloma Pule Lameko (2016–2018)^[5]
• Le Mamea Ropati (2016–present)^[6]

Notes and References

1. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Samoa_2017.pdf?lang=en Constitution of Samoa
2. [Brij Lal (historian)|Brij Lal]
3. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-339792807/view?sectionId=nla.obj-356479231&partId=nla.obj-339846446#page/n64/mode/1up Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV
4. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/162752/state-funeral-in-samoa-for-the-late-member-of-the-council-of-deputies State funeral in Samoa for the late Member of the Council of Deputies
5. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/353991/a-member-of-samoa-s-council-of-deputies-dies A member of Samoa's Council of Deputies dies
6. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/295120/samoa-has-two-new-members-of-the-council-of-deputies Samoa has two new members of the council of deputies