Litokwa Tomeing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Litokwa Tomeing
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| 4th President of the Marshall Islands | |
| In office 14 January 2008 – 21 October 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Kessai Note |
| Succeeded by | Ruben Zackhras (Acting) |
| Speaker of the Legislature | |
| In office 2000–2007 |
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| Preceded by | Kessai Note |
| Succeeded by | Jurelang Zedkaia |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 October 1939 Wotje Atoll, South Seas Mandate |
| Died | 12 October 2020 (aged 80) Springdale, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | UDP (until 2007), UPP (from 2007) |
| Spouse | Arlin Tomeing |
| Children | 7 |
Iroij Litokwa Tomeing (born October 14, 1939 – died October 12, 2020) was an important leader from the Marshall Islands. He served as the fourth President of the Marshall Islands from January 2008 to October 2009. Before becoming president, he had a long career as a teacher and in various government roles, including being the Speaker of the country's parliament, called the Nitijela.
Contents
About Litokwa Tomeing
His Early Life and Education
Litokwa Tomeing was born on Wotje Atoll in the Marshall Islands on October 14, 1939. From 1950 to 1954, he went to Catholic Elementary School. He attended schools in Likiep and then in Jaluit.
In 1961, Tomeing finished high school in Pohnpei. He later studied at the University of Hawaii from 1970 to 1972. Litokwa Tomeing and his wife, Arlin, had seven children and many grandchildren. He passed away on October 12, 2020, in Springdale, Arkansas, United States.
His Career in Public Service
Litokwa Tomeing was a traditional chief in his community. He started his career as a principal and teacher at Ebon Elementary School in 1961. He worked there until 1964. After that, he moved to Majuro and taught at Rita Elementary School from 1965 to 1968.
Tomeing then became the Mayor of Wotje Atoll, which was his first public job. He was the Mayor of Wotje from 1965 to 1969. During this time, he also taught at Wotje Elementary School from 1968 to 1973. In 1974, he moved back to Majuro. There, he worked at the Marshall Islands High School as a specialist in media and school subjects.
In 1974, Tomeing was elected to the Nitijela, which is the parliament of the Marshall Islands. He represented areas like Ebon Atoll and Jaluit. He held this seat until 1978. In 1976, he was chosen to be a delegate for the Marshall Islands at an important meeting in Saipan. This meeting was about creating a constitution for the Federated States of Micronesia.
In 1978, Tomeing was also a delegate for the Marshall Islands' own Constitutional Convention in Majuro. He was again elected to the Nitijela in 1979. He continued to hold a seat in the Nitijela for many years after that.
Tomeing served as the Vice Speaker of the Nitijela from 1992 to 1995. From 1996 to 1998, he was a Minister helping the President. In this role, he helped oversee the Ratak Chain of islands. In 2000, Tomeing became the Speaker of the Nitijela. He held this important position for eight years.
Becoming President
In November 2007, Litokwa Tomeing left his political party, the United Democratic Party. He joined the opposition group just before the 2007 parliamentary election. After this election, he ran for president in January 2008.
On January 7, 2008, the Nitijela elected him as president. He received 18 votes, while the previous president, Kessai Note, received 15 votes. Tomeing was sworn in as president on January 14, 2008. He formed a cabinet with ten ministers.
When he became president, some people thought the Marshall Islands might change its relationship with Taiwan. However, President Tomeing continued to support strong ties with Taiwan. He even met with Taiwan's vice-president, Annette Lu, when she visited the Marshall Islands in January 2008.
On September 28, 2009, President Tomeing opened a special office called a consulate in Springdale, Arkansas, in the United States. The Marshall Islands already had embassies in Washington, D.C. and New York City. But this was the first consulate in the main part of the United States. Many Marshallese people live in Springdale. They first moved there in the 1970s to work in food-processing factories. President Tomeing's own grandson graduated from Springdale High School in 2008.
President Tomeing was removed from office on October 21, 2009. This happened because the Nitijela voted against him in a "vote of no confidence". This was the first time a president in the Marshall Islands was removed this way. The legislature voted 17 to 15 to remove him. They elected a new president, Jurelang Zedkaia, on October 23. Before the new president was sworn in, Ruben Zackhras served as the acting president.
See also
In Spanish: Litokwa Tomeing para niños
