Monise Laafai is a Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...

an politician and businessman.

He stood for Parliament

Parliament of Tuvalu

The Parliament of Tuvalu is the unicameral national legislature in Tuvalu.-History and political culture:...

 for the first time at the 2010 general election

Tuvaluan general election, 2010

A parliamentary election was held in Tuvalu on 16 September 2010.Voters elected fifteen members of the Parliament to a four-year term. All candidates were independents, as there are no political parties in the country. Ten out of the fifteen incumbent members were re-elected. The remaining five...

, and was elected MP for the constituency of Nanumaga. He supported Maatia Toafa

Maatia Toafa

Maatia Toafa is a Tuvaluan politician, representing Nanumea who served two non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of Tuvalu. He first served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2006, from the resignation of his predecessor, Saufatu Sopoanga, until the defeat of his Cabinet in the 2006 general election...

's successful bid for the premiership, and was subsequently appointed to Cabinet

Cabinet of Tuvalu

The Cabinet of Tuvalu is the executive branch of the government of Tuvalu.It is drawn from, and responsible to, the legislative branch, the monocameral Fale i Fono. After every legislative election, Members of Parliament elect one of their own as Prime Minister. The latter then chooses his...

, as Minister of Finance. He lost office just three months later, when Toafa's government was brought down by a motion of no confidence

Motion of no confidence

A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...

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Laafai is also General Manager of the Tuvalu Co-operative Society, a position he has held since the late 1990s. He was also chef de mission of the Tuvaluan delegation to the 2007 Pacific Games

2007 Pacific Games

The 2007 Pacific Games were held in Apia, Samoa, from 25 August to 8 September, 2007. The Games were also known as the XIII South Pacific Games....

 in Samoa

Samoa

Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...

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