| Kamuta Latasi | |
|---|---|
| 4th Prime Minister of Tuvalu | |
| In office 10 December 1993 – 24 December 1996 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor General | Tomu Sione Tulaga Manuella |
| Preceded by | Bikenibeu Paeniu |
| Succeeded by | Bikenibeu Paeniu |
| Constituency | Funafuti |
| Personal details | |
| Born | ? |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Naama Maheu Latasi |
Rt Hon Sir Kamuta Latasi KCMG, OBE, MP, PC (born 1936) is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. Latasi served as the 4th Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 1993 until 1996. He has served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu from 2006 to 2010.[1]
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Latasi was the fourth Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 1993 to 1996. While many Tuvaluan politicians tend to avoid organizing themselves along partisan lines, Latasi is noted for his republican leanings, together with another former Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the late Ionatana Ionatana. These leanings for a while distanced Latasi somewhat from the constitutional link with the Crown.
One notable issue during the premiership of Latasi was the question of the design of the national flag of Tuvalu, which included a British Union Jack, reduced in size.
In a manner which some Tuvaluans regarded as arbitrary, Latasi changed the flag to another design which omitted the Union Jack. Supporters of Latasi held that this measure symbolically distanced Tuvalu from the colonial period. This change, however, proved to be short-lived, since Latasi's successor (Bikenibeu Paeniu) implemented a reversion to the former design.
Sir Kamuta Latasi is a landowner and long-time politician. His wife Lady Naama Maheu Latasi was also a member of the Parliament of Tuvalu.
From 2006 to 2010, Latasi was the Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu. He was re-elected to Parliament by his constiuency in the 2010 general election.[2]
Despite Latasi's republican stance he did accept several honours, including the KCMG in 2008.
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