WASHINGTON (Pacnews) —The United States extended condolences on Monday to the family of Samoa’s head of state, Malietoa Tanumafili II, and to the Samoan people on his death after 45 years on the throne.
Malietoa “played an important and valued role in the history of his country” as one of Samoa’s founding fathers and its head of state since the Pacific island Samoa gained independence from New Zealand in 1962,” said U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey.
Casey said the United States is committed to maintaining its strong relationship with Samoa fostered by Malietoa.
Many citizens of nearby American Samoa considered Malietoa the father of both independent Samoa and the U.S. territory.
Commonwealth Secretary general Don McKinnon also sent his condolences to the Samoan government and the people of Samoa on the passing away of the Pacific nation head of state.
“Malietoa Tanumafili II will always be remembered as the father of Samoa, who was at the forefront of his country’s march to full independence,” McKinnon said
Samoa became the first Pacific Island country to achieve full independence on Jan. 1, 1962.
“His death is a sad loss not only to Samoa but to the Pacific region and to the wider Commonwealth family. He will always be remembered for his dignity, wisdom, insight and lively sense of humor during his many years of service to the government and people of Samoa,” he said.
McKinnon said the strong leadership role he provided as head of State since January 1962, ensured the strong foundation on which Samoa’s chiefly “matai” structures and practices complimented the country’s democratic processes and institutions.
This has made Samoa a stable and prosperous democracy within the Commonwealth family — a legacy which all the Samoans in the country and abroad recognize with immense pride and gratitude, McKinnon said.