Sani Lakatani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sani Lakatani
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| Premier of Niue | |
| In office 26 March 1999 – 1 May 2002 |
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| Governor-General | Michael Hardie Boys Silvia Cartwright |
| Preceded by | Frank Lui |
| Succeeded by | Young Vivian |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 27 February 1993 – October 1994 |
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| Premier | Frank Lui |
| Preceded by | Young Vivian |
| Succeeded by | Terry Coe |
| In office 7 April 1990 – September 1990 |
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| Premier | Robert Rex |
| Succeeded by | Young Vivian |
| Member of Parliament for Common roll |
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| In office 7 April 1990 – November 2004 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 June 1936 |
| Political party | Niue People's Party |
Sani Lakatani was an important leader in Niue, a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean. He served as the Premier of Niue, which is like being the head of the government. He was born on June 4, 1936. Sani Lakatani was also a member of the Niue People's Party.
Contents
Early Life and Service
Before his political career, Sani Lakatani served in the New Zealand Army. He was a corporal, which is a non-commissioned officer rank. He even went to Vietnam as part of a military group called Whiskey2.
Sani Lakatani's Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Sani Lakatani was first chosen to be a member of the Niue Assembly in the 1990 election. The Niue Assembly is like the country's parliament, where laws are made. He ran as a candidate for the Niue People's Action Party (NPAP). After the election, there was a disagreement about who should lead. A group of members, including Lakatani, decided to support Premier Robert Rex. Lakatani was then made the Minister of Finance, in charge of the country's money. However, he was removed from this role just five months later.
He was elected again in 1993. Premier Frank Lui then appointed him as the Minister of Finance once more. He left this role in March 1994 but was brought back by Premier Lui shortly after. Later, in October 1994, he lost his finance job again and resigned from the Cabinet. The Cabinet is a group of top government ministers.
Lakatani then joined the opposition, which formed the Niue People's Party. This created a situation where the Assembly was often tied, making it hard to pass laws. He was re-elected in the 1996 election, coming in sixth place on the common roll.
Becoming Premier
Sani Lakatani was re-elected in the 1999 Niuean general election. He received many votes, placing third overall. After this election, he was chosen to be the leader of the Niue People's Party. He then became the Premier of Niue, winning against another candidate by a vote of 14 to 6.
As Premier, he made some important changes. He reduced the pay for members of the Assembly. He also tried to get a loan from the Asian Development Bank to help Niue's economy. He also worked to start a new airline for the country. In July 1999, he had to go to the hospital in Auckland for heart surgery. While he was away, his government became less popular and lost its majority. There was a vote to remove him from power, but it ended in a tie. He also faced another tied vote in 2000. During his time as Premier, he also served as the Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific.
Later Years in Politics
Sani Lakatani was re-elected in the 2002 Niuean general election. However, he lost his position as leader of the People's Party to Young Vivian. Young Vivian then became the new Premier, and Lakatani became his Deputy. In August 2002, he was removed from the Cabinet after he voted against the government's budget.
In 2003, he took a long break from the Assembly to care for his wife in Auckland. He officially resigned from the Assembly in June 2004.
See also
In Spanish: Sani Lakatani para niños
