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Samoan politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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][3] He is the cousin of fellow FAST MP Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster.[4]
Lefau Harry Schuster | |
---|---|
Minister of Police and Prisons | |
Assumed office 24 May 2021[lower-alpha 1] | |
Prime Minister | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa |
Preceded by | Tialavea Tionisio Hunt |
Member of the Samoan Parliament | |
Assumed office 9 April 2021 | |
Preceded by | Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu[1] |
Constituency | Vaimauga No. 4 |
In office 4 March 2011 – 4 March 2016 | |
Preceded by | Anauli Pofitu Fesili |
Succeeded by | Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu |
Constituency | Vaimauga West |
Personal details | |
Political party | Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (since 2020) |
Other political affiliations | Tautua Samoa (until 2020) |
Schuster was educated at St Joseph’s College in Samoa and St Paul's College, Auckland before studying law at Victoria University of Wellington.[2] 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[5] before resigning in 2010 to enter politics.[6] He has also served as president of the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions.[7]
In September 2018 he was awarded the Faualo title by his village.[8]
Schuster was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa at the 2011 Samoan general election, as a candidate for Tautua.[4] He lost his seat at the 2016 election.[9]
In July 2020 Schuster criticised new electoral laws limiting candidate eligibility as unfair and discriminatory.[10] In October 2020 Schuster announced he would stand as a candidate for the F.A.S.T. Party in the 2021 election.[2] 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]
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