Sala Fata Pinati
Samoan politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sala Fata Pinati is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.
Sala Fata Pinati | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Tourism | |
| In office 30 June 2016 – 24 May 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi |
| Preceded by | Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell |
| Succeeded by | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa |
| Minister of Police | |
| In office 21 March 2011 – 25 November 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi |
| Succeeded by | Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi |
| Minister of Prisons | |
| In office 21 March 2011 – 30 June 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi |
| Succeeded by | Tialavea Tionisio Hunt |
| Member of the Samoa Parliament for Sagaga No. 3 | |
| In office 9 April 2021 – 29 August 2025 | |
| Preceded by | None (seat created) |
| Succeeded by | Sala Paulo Tuala Poto |
| Member of the Samoa Parliament for Gagaemauga No. 1 | |
| In office 31 March 2006 – 9 April 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Tuala Ainiu Iusitino |
| Succeeded by | Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Human Rights Protection Party |
Career
Pinati was previously a member of the board of the Development Bank of Samoa.[1] He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa at the 2006 Samoan general election, and appointed Associate Minister of Agriculture.[1] In 2007, he became Associate Minister of Education, and then from 2008 - 2010 he served as Associate Minister of Finance.[1] Following the 2011 election he was prosecuted for bribery, but the charge was later dropped.[2] In March 2011 he was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Police and Prisons.[3] During this term he separated management of prisons from the police, establishing an independent Samoa Prisons and Corrections Services.[4]
He was re-elected at the 2016 election,[5] and retained his position as Minister of Police and Prisons.[6][7] Following the election, he was again prosecuted for bribery,[8] but the charge was again withdrawn.[9] A Cabinet reshuffle in June 2016 saw him lose his Prisons portfolio to Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, instead becoming Minister of Tourism and the Public Trust Office.[10] A further reshuffle in November 2016 saw him lose his Police portfolio to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi and pick up responsibility for the Audit Office and Bureau of Statistics.[11]
He ran in the newly created Sagaga No. 3 electorate at the 2021 election and was elected.
