Lefau Harry Schuster Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Lefau Harry Schuster
Office4:Minister of Police and Prisons
Primeminister4:Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Term Start4:24 May 2021
Predecessor4:Tialavea Tionisio Hunt
Office5:Member of the Samoan Parliament
Constituency5:Vaimauga No. 4
Term Start5:9 April 2021
Predecessor5:Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu[1]
Constituency6:Vaimauga West
Term Start6:4 March 2011
Term End6:4 March 2016
Predecessor6:Anauli Pofitu Fesili
Successor6:Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu
Party:Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (since 2020)
Otherparty:Tautua Samoa (until 2020)

Lefau Harry Schuster (also known as Faualo Harry Schuster) is a Samoan politician and Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the FAST Party and was a founding member of the Tautua Samoa Party.[2] He is the cousin of fellow FAST MP Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster.

Early life

Schuster was educated at St Joseph’s College in Samoa and St Paul's College, Auckland before studying law at Victoria University of Wellington. He worked for the New Zealand Ministry of Education before returning to Samoa to work in the Attorney General’s office. After time in private practice, he was appointed as a District Court Judge in 2000[3] before resigning in 2010 to enter politics.[4] He has also served as president of the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions.[5]

In September 2018 he was awarded the Faualo title by his village.[6]

Political career

Schuster was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa at the 2011 Samoan general election, as a candidate for Tautua.[7] He lost his seat at the 2016 election.[8]

In July 2020 Schuster criticised new electoral laws limiting candidate eligibility as unfair and discriminatory.[9] In October 2020 Schuster announced he would stand as a candidate for the F.A.S.T. Party in the 2021 election.[10] He was elected in the Vaimauga no. 4 constituency.[11] On 24 May 2021 he was appointed Minister of Police and Prisons in the elected cabinet of Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa.[12] 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.[13]

In his role as Minister in charge of the Electoral Commission Schuster advocated for electoral reform, including the repeal of "arbitrary" restrictions on candidacy and on MPs changing parties.[14] As Police Minister he was critical of the impact of the Land and Titles Bill, claiming that it had led to village councils abusing their authority to violate human rights.[15]

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Five Cabinet Minister lose seats after polls . Seia Lavilavi Soloi . Samoa Observer . 13 April 2021 . 29 May 2021.
  2. Web site: First FAST Cabinet Down to Work – When the Impossible Happens . Talamua Online . 5 September 2021. 29 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210731032947/https://talamua.com/2021/07/30/first-fast-cabinet-down-to-work-when-the-impossible-happens/. 31 July 2021. dead.
  3. Web site: Samoa appoints new judge . RNZ . 22 December 2006 . 15 June 2021.
  4. Web site: District court judge in Samoa will run as a candidate in next year's election . RNZ . 5 October 2010 . 29 November 2020.
  5. Web site: Lefau warns IRB against "shambles" . Samoa Observer . 12 January 2011 . 5 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120319010943/http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30619:lefau-warns&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50 . 19 March 2012.
  6. Web site: Lefau Harry Schuster gets Faualo title . Deidre Tautua-Fanene . Samoa Observer . 30 September 2018 . 9 April 2021.
  7. Web site: NEW FACE IN SAMOA PARLIAMENT HOPES FOR CHANGE . Pacific Islands Report . 8 March 2011 . 29 November 2020.
  8. Web site: HRPP 44, Tautua Samoa 2 . Talanei . 4 March 2016 . 29 November 2020.
  9. Web site: Former Judge and M.P. slams Electoral laws . Samoa Observer . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . 21 July 2020 . 5 September 2021.
  10. Web site: Lefau Harry Schuster joins F.A.S.T. . Joyetter Feagaimaali'i . Samoa Observer . 23 October 2020 . 29 November 2020.
  11. Web site: FAST Candidates Displace 4 Ministers and Deputy Speaker . Samoa Global News . 9 April 2021 . 17 May 2021.
  12. Web site: Fiame Sworn in as Prime Minister under Marquees on Parliament Grounds . Marieta H Ilalio . Samoa Global News . 25 May 2021 . 25 May 2021.
  13. Web site: F.A.S.T. declared new Government as appeal upheld . Samoa Observer . Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong . 23 July 2021 . 23 July 2021.
  14. Web site: Minister zeroes in on electoral reform . Samoa Observer . Joyetter Feagaimaali'i . 28 July 2021 . 5 September 2021.
  15. Web site: Chiefs' new powers being abused: Minister . Samoa Observer . Joyetter Feagaimaali'i . 3 September 2021 . 5 September 2021.