Tomu Sione
Quick Facts
Biography
Sir Tomu Malaefone Sione GCMG OBE (born 17 November 1941) is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He worked as a journalist from 1962–68. He is the head of the southern Niutao clan. He is married to Segali.
Member of Parliament
Tomu Sione was first elected to represent the constituency of Niutao in the House of Representatives of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony in the general election of 1971. He was re-elected in the general election of 1974. Following the separation of Tuvalu from Kiribati he served in the House of Assembly of the Colony of Tuvalu. From 1975 to 1978 he was the minister for commerce and natural resources in the cabinet of the Chief Minister Toalipi Lauti.
Following independence Tomu Sione was elected to represent the constituency of Niutao in the Parliament of Tuvalu in the elections held on 27 August 1977.
Governor-General
Sione served as Governor-General of Tuvalu from 1993–1994, as the representative of HM Queen Elizabeth II, who is Tuvalu's head of state.
Later political career
Somewhat unusually for a former Governor-General, after standing down from this office, Sione later stood again for parliament. He was elected by the constituency of Niutao and served as Speaker of the Parliament from 1998 to 2002.
He was created GCMG in 2001.
Sione lost his seat in the 2002 general election, however he was re-elected in the Tuvaluan general election, 2006 and was subsequent appointed as chairman of the parliamentary caucus in the Administration of Prime Minister of Tuvalu Apisai Ielemia.
He represented the constituency of Niutao until the Tuvaluan general election, 2010. He was a candidate in the Tuvaluan general election, 2015 and received 300 votes, but was not elected to parliament.