Vete Sakaio is a Tuvaluan politician.
A civil engineer by trade,Alofa Tuvalu"TMTI Upgrading" , Tuvalu News, 4 January 2007 he was described in 2008 as a "leader of the community" on his home island of Niutao."Taiwan Indigenous Television Reporters Visited Tuvalu" , Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), 3 April 2008 He is also the Vice President of the Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee,Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee and a leading member of the Tuvalu Amateur Sports Association.Tuvalu Association of NGOs
In 2010, he went into politics, standing for Parliament in the general election. He was elected MP for Niutao., Tuvalu News, 16 September 2010"Tuvalu to form new government early next week", Pacific Islands News Association, 21 September 2010 Following the election, he was appointed as Minister for Works and Natural Resources in Prime Minister Maatia Toafa's Cabinet."New Tuvalu PM Maatia Toafa names cabinet", ABC Radio Australia, 29 September 2010 He lost office just three months later, when Toafa's government was brought down by a motion of no confidence.
Vete Sakaio was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Public Utilities on 5 August 2013 following Enele Sopoaga becoming prime minister.
On 28 September 2013, Vete Sakaio concluded his speech to the General Debate of the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly with an appeal to the world, "please save Tuvalu against climate change. Save Tuvalu in order to save yourself, the world".
In the 2015 New Year Honours, Sakaio was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for public and community service.
Vete Sakaio was not re-elected in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.
External links (28 Sep 2013) Address by His Excellency Vete Palakua Sakaio, Deputy Prime Minister of Tuvalu at the general debate of the 68th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations
References