Misa Telefoni Retzlaff

Misa Telefoni Retzlaff (born Hermann Theodor Retzlaff, 21 May 1952) is a Samoan author and retired politician who served as the deputy prime minister of Samoa and deputy leader of the Human Rights Protection Party from 2001 to 2011. A member of the Human Rights Protection Party, Retzlaff was also minister of finance from 2006 to 2011.

Misa Telefoni Retzlaff
Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa
In office
19 March 2001 – 20 March 2011
Prime MinisterTuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Preceded byTuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi (1998)
Succeeded byFonotoe Pierre Lauofo
Additional cabinet positions
Minister of Trade, Commerce, Industry and Labour
In office
24 April 2006 – 20 March 2011
Preceded byHans Joachim Keil III
Succeeded byFonotoe Pierre Lauofo
Minister of Tourism
In office
24 April 2006 – 20 March 2011
Preceded byHans Joachim Keil III
Succeeded byTuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Minister of Finance
In office
20 March 2001 – 19 March 2006
Succeeded byTapunuu Niko Lee Hang
Minister of Health
In office
26 April 1996 – 20 March 2001
Preceded bySala Vaimili Uili II
Succeeded byMulitalo Siafausa Vui
Member of the Samoan Parliament
for Falelatai & Samatau
In office
26 February 1988 – 4 March 2011
Preceded byLupematasila Fa'amalaga
Succeeded byLemi Taefu
Personal details
Born
Hermann Theodor Retzlaff

(1952-05-21) 21 May 1952
Apia, Western Samoa Trust Territory (Now Samoa)
NationalitySamoan
Political partyHuman Rights Protection Party
SpouseSarah Pulepule Young
Alma materUniversity of Auckland

Background

Retzlaff is of German-Swedish-Samoan descent, having inherited his German ancestry from his paternal grandfather.[1] His name "Telefoni", is the name that was given by the Samoan community in the early twentieth century, to his grandfather, when he arrived in the German colony, as a public servant of the postal services, to introduce the telephone to the country. He was educated at Marist Brothers in Apia[2] and King's College in Auckland, New Zealand.[3] He studied law at the University of Auckland, graduating in 1974.[2] After returning to Samoa, he studied to become a Certified Public Accountant, graduating in 1977,[2] before going on to practice law.[3] He was appointed Attorney-General of Samoa in 1986.[4] His eldest son Lemalu Herman Retzlaff was subsequently appointed and also served as Attorney General of Samoa in 2016.

Political career

In 1988 he resigned his position as Attorney-general to run for election, winning the seat of Falelatai & Samatau.[5] Initially part of the opposition, he joined the government of Tofilau Eti Alesana in 1991 as Minister of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries and Shipping.[3] In 1996 he became Minister of Health, and in 2001, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.[6][7] In 2006 he was appointed Minister of Tourism, Trade, Labor and Commerce.[8] He retired at the 2011 general election.[9][10]

Publications

Retzlaff has had two books published; "Love and Money", a love story about the richest young bachelor in Auckland New Zealand falling in love with and marrying the young Samoan kitchen help from his exclusive boarding school; and "To Thine Own Self be True", a collection of articles, speeches and poems.[4] In 2021 he published an autobiography, Tautua – Memoirs of a Public Servant.[2]

References
  1. Malama Meleisea (1987). The Making of Modern Samoa: Traditional Authority and Colonial Administration in the Modern History of American Samoa. USP. p. 176. ISBN 982-02-0031-8.
  2. Loreta Kelemete (11 June 2021). "Former Deputy Prime Minister's Book Available at SSAB Stores". Samoa Global News. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  3. The International Who's Who 2004. Routledge. 2003. p. 1661.
  4. "Deputy Prime Minister / Sui Palemia". Government of Samoa. Archived from the original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  5. Samoan election results by constituency 1964–2016 Samoa Election Results Database
  6. "Misa becomes new Minister of Finance". Samoa Observer. 20 March 2001. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020.
  7. "Cabinet Ministers". Parliament of Samoa. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  8. "Five new faces in new Samoa cabinet". RNZ. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  9. "Samoa's deputy prime minister will not seek re-election". RNZ. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  10. "Deputy PM Misa bowing out". Samoa Observer. 12 February 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
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