Litokwa Tomeing
Encyclopedia
Iroij Litokwa Tomeing (born 14 October 1939) was the President
of the Marshall Islands
from January 2008 until October 2009.
, in the Japanese administered Marshall Islands
, on October 14, 1939. From 1950 until 1954, Tomeing attended the Catholic Elementary School, first in Likiep and then in Jaluit.
In 1961, Tomeing graduated from PIC High School in Pohnpei
. He studied at the University of Hawaii
from 1970 until 1972 on an extension program.
Tomeing is married to his wife, former Marshallese First Lady
Arlin Tomeing. The couple have seven children and several grandchildren.
.
He became a principal and teacher
at Ebon Elementary School in 1961, and remained with the school until 1964. He then moved to Majuro
, where he taught at Rita Elementary School from 1965 until 1968.
Tomeing was elected the Mayor
of Wotje Atoll, his first public office. He remained in office as Mayor of Wotje from 1965 until 1969. He taught at Wotje Elementary School from 1968 until 1973, while continuing to serve as mayor. He moved back to Majuro in 1974, where he was employed at the Marshall Islands High School as the school's Media
and Curriculum
specialist.
Tomeing campaigned for and won a seat in the Nitijela, representing a constituency which included the Ebon Atoll
, Namdrik Atoll
, Kili
, and Jaluit atolls. He held this seat from 1974 until 1978. In 1976, Tomeing was appointed as one the Marshallese delegates at the Federated States of Micronesia Constitutional Convention, which was held in Saipan
, the Northern Mariana Islands
.
In 1978, Tomeing became a delegate
and member at large to the Marshall Islands Constitutional Convention, which was held in Majuro.
Tomeing was again elected as one of the 33 members of the Nitijela in 1979, shortly after the political separation of the Marshall Islands from the neighboring Federated States of Micronesia
. He has held a seat in the Nitijela continuously since 1979, as of September 2010.
Tomeing served as the Vice Speaker of the Nitijela from 1992 to 1995. He then became a member of the Cabinet as the Minister-in-Assistance to the President from 1996 until 1998. Tomeing held a "supervisory role" over the Ratak Chain
as part of his cabinet position.
Tomeing became the Speaker
in 2000. He served as Speaker of the Nitijela for eight years before defecting from the governing United Democratic Party
(UDP) to the opposition
in November 2007, shortly before the November 2007 parliamentary election
.
for the UPP/AKA coalition. He was elected President on 7 January 2008 by the Nitijela, receiving 18 votes over 15 for incumbent Kessai Note
. He was sworn in, along with a cabinet composed of ten ministers, on 14 January by Carl Ingram, the Chief Justice of the High Court.
His election was believed to herald a shift from the pro-Taiwan
policy of Marshall Islands, possibly marking an end to Marshall Islands–Taiwan diplomatic relations. However, in office Tomeing expressed continued support for ties with Taiwan and met with the Vice-President of Taiwan, Annette Lu
, when she visited the Marshall Islands on 29 January 2008.
President Tomeing inaugurated a consulate in Springdale, Arkansas
, on September 28, 2009. The Marshall Islands currently has embassies in Washington D.C. and New York City
. However, its opening marked the first consulate in the continental United States. The Marshallese community living in the Springdale area, who originally came to work for food-processing plants in the 1970s, is the largest population outside of the Marshall Islands. Tomeing's own grandson graduated from Springdale High School
in 2008.
Tomeing was removed from office by the Marshall Islands' first successful vote of no confidence on 21 October 2009. Tomeing had survived two previous votes of no confidence. The legislature, which voted 17–15 in favour of the motion, elected a new President on 23 October, Jurelang Zedkaia
. The speaker, Jurelang Zedkaia, named Ruben Zackhras
as the acting president in the meantime. Zackhras previously served as Tomeing's Minister in Assistance.
President of the Marshall Islands
-List of Presidents of the Marshall Islands:...
of the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
from January 2008 until October 2009.
Early and personal life
Litokwa Tomeing was born on Wotje AtollWotje Atoll
Wotje Atoll is a coral atoll of 75 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. Wotje's land area of , is one the largest in the Marshall Islands, and encloses a lagoon of . The atoll is oriented east and west and is at its longest...
, in the Japanese administered Marshall Islands
Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands
Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands was spurred on by Japanese trade in the Pacific region. The first Japanese explorers arrived in the Marshall Islands in the late 19th century, although permanent settlements were not established until the 1920s. As compared to other Micronesian islands in...
, on October 14, 1939. From 1950 until 1954, Tomeing attended the Catholic Elementary School, first in Likiep and then in Jaluit.
In 1961, Tomeing graduated from PIC High School in Pohnpei
Pohnpei
Not to be confused with Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79.Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia , situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group...
. He studied at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
from 1970 until 1972 on an extension program.
Tomeing is married to his wife, former Marshallese First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Arlin Tomeing. The couple have seven children and several grandchildren.
Career
Tomeing is a traditional chiefTribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
.
He became a principal and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
at Ebon Elementary School in 1961, and remained with the school until 1964. He then moved to Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
, where he taught at Rita Elementary School from 1965 until 1968.
Tomeing was elected the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wotje Atoll, his first public office. He remained in office as Mayor of Wotje from 1965 until 1969. He taught at Wotje Elementary School from 1968 until 1973, while continuing to serve as mayor. He moved back to Majuro in 1974, where he was employed at the Marshall Islands High School as the school's Media
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
and Curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
specialist.
Tomeing campaigned for and won a seat in the Nitijela, representing a constituency which included the Ebon Atoll
Ebon Atoll
Ebon Atoll is a coral atoll of 22 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. Its total land area is only , but it encloses a deep lagoon with an area of . A passage leads to the lagoon from the southwest edge of the atoll. The...
, Namdrik Atoll
Namdrik Atoll
Namdrik Atoll or Namorik Atoll is a coral atoll of two islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. Its total land area is only , but it encloses a lagoon with an area of .Namdrik Atoll is located approximately west-southwest of...
, Kili
Kili
Kili may refer to the following:*Kíli, a Dwarf from J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit*Kili Island, in the Marshall Islands.*Koili, a village near Paphos*Mount Kilimanjaro...
, and Jaluit atolls. He held this seat from 1974 until 1978. In 1976, Tomeing was appointed as one the Marshallese delegates at the Federated States of Micronesia Constitutional Convention, which was held in Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
.
In 1978, Tomeing became a delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
and member at large to the Marshall Islands Constitutional Convention, which was held in Majuro.
Tomeing was again elected as one of the 33 members of the Nitijela in 1979, shortly after the political separation of the Marshall Islands from the neighboring Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
. He has held a seat in the Nitijela continuously since 1979, as of September 2010.
Tomeing served as the Vice Speaker of the Nitijela from 1992 to 1995. He then became a member of the Cabinet as the Minister-in-Assistance to the President from 1996 until 1998. Tomeing held a "supervisory role" over the Ratak Chain
Ratak Chain
The Ratak Chain is a chain of islands within the island nation of the Marshall Islands. Ratak means "sunrise". It lies just to the east of the country's other main island chain, the Ralik Chain...
as part of his cabinet position.
Tomeing became the Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
in 2000. He served as Speaker of the Nitijela for eight years before defecting from the governing United Democratic Party
United Democratic Party (Marshall Islands)
The United Democratic Party is a political party in the Marshall Islands. At the last legislative elections, 17 November 2003, no parties participated, though part of the members could be members of either the Kabua Party or the United Democratic Party....
(UDP) to the opposition
Opposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
in November 2007, shortly before the November 2007 parliamentary election
Marshall Islands general election, 2007
A general election was held in the Marshall Islands on 19 November 2007.Due to delays in opening the polling stations polling continued until after midnight...
.
Presidency of the Marshall Islands
Following the parliamentary election, he was a candidate in the January 2008 presidential electionMarshall Islands presidential election, 2008
An indirect presidential election was held in the Marshall Islands on 7 January 2008. The parliament elected in November 2007 elected a new president after it formally convened. The opposition coalition elected a new president, Litokwa Tomeing, with a vote of 18 to 15 in favour, beating the...
for the UPP/AKA coalition. He was elected President on 7 January 2008 by the Nitijela, receiving 18 votes over 15 for incumbent Kessai Note
Kessai Note
Kessai Hesa Note is a former President of the Marshall Islands, having served from 2000 to 2008.Having served as Speaker of Parliament since 1988, he was elected President in 2000, and was the first commoner to be elected to the Presidency...
. He was sworn in, along with a cabinet composed of ten ministers, on 14 January by Carl Ingram, the Chief Justice of the High Court.
His election was believed to herald a shift from the pro-Taiwan
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
policy of Marshall Islands, possibly marking an end to Marshall Islands–Taiwan diplomatic relations. However, in office Tomeing expressed continued support for ties with Taiwan and met with the Vice-President of Taiwan, Annette Lu
Annette Lu
Annette Lu Hsiu-lien , was the Vice President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008, under Chen Shui-bian. She announced her intentions to run for President of Taiwan on March 6, 2007, but withdrew in order to support DPP presidential nominee, Frank Hsieh...
, when she visited the Marshall Islands on 29 January 2008.
President Tomeing inaugurated a consulate in Springdale, Arkansas
Springdale, Arkansas
As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more...
, on September 28, 2009. The Marshall Islands currently has embassies in Washington D.C. and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. However, its opening marked the first consulate in the continental United States. The Marshallese community living in the Springdale area, who originally came to work for food-processing plants in the 1970s, is the largest population outside of the Marshall Islands. Tomeing's own grandson graduated from Springdale High School
Springdale High School
Springdale High School is a public high school in Springdale, Arkansas, United States for students in grades ten through twelve. Springdale High School is one of two high schools administered by the Springdale School District, the other being Har-Ber High School. SHS is also an IB World School...
in 2008.
Tomeing was removed from office by the Marshall Islands' first successful vote of no confidence on 21 October 2009. Tomeing had survived two previous votes of no confidence. The legislature, which voted 17–15 in favour of the motion, elected a new President on 23 October, Jurelang Zedkaia
Jurelang Zedkaia
Jurelang Zedkaia is a Marshallese traditional chief and politician. Zedkaia was elected the 5th President of the Marshall Islands on October 26, 2009, following the ouster of his predecessor, Litokwa Tomeing, in the country's first successful vote of no confidence.-Biography:Zedkaia is the...
. The speaker, Jurelang Zedkaia, named Ruben Zackhras
Ruben Zackhras
Ruben R. Zackhras is a Marshallese politician and member of the United Democratic Party, was acting President of the Marshall Islands from 21 October 2009 to 26 October 2009...
as the acting president in the meantime. Zackhras previously served as Tomeing's Minister in Assistance.