The Government has been rocked by the death of another senior female bureaucrat, Laeimau Oketevi Tanuvasa-Savea.

Laeimau was until her passing over the weekend the Chief Executive Officer of Computer Services Limited, an IT firm partly-owned by the Samoa Government.

The Samoa Observer was not able to get more information from the Government or her family over the weekend on her cause of death.

However, it is understood she was sick for sometime before her passing.

Laeimau is widely seen as a pioneer of women in Samoa’s growing information communication technology sector (ICT).

Samoa’s Regulator, Lefaoali’i Unutoa Auelua-Fonoti, expressed sadness at the unexpected loss of a colleague she described as an “inspiring leader” within the ICT sector. 

“Tevi’s vision of driving the I.C.T. sector was remarkable. She was the drive behind Computer Service Limited, an internet service provider company that is very dear to her. 

“She was one of the very few young ICT graduates at the time, when she was asked to advise the government of Samoa on some very important ICT issues—one of which is retaining the ownership of our domain name.

“An icon of integrity, honesty, uprightness and hard work who believes in more action but less talk,” she said. 

Laeimau also played a key role at the Samoa Events Incorporated, which created history this year when they hosted the Miss Samoa pageant in Savai’i for the first time in the pageant’s history.   

Lefaoali’i said Laeimau also supported encouraging girls and young women to consider taking up ICT as a career. 

“She was very supportive of our Girls in I.C.T. initiative where it’s aim is to empower and encourage young women to consider career in the I.C.T. Sector.

“Tevi groomed us (in the ICT sector) to be sound professionals and to do our job well in order to serve the people of Samoa but not to be served. 

“Tevi speaks her mind all the time and was never afraid to say or do what she thinks will improve the sector; a well respected I.C.T. professional not only in Samoa, our Region but within International Organisations.” 

Lefaoali’i said it will be very hard to fill her shoes in Samoa and expressed condolences to Laeimau’s husband Samuel, their daughter Luisa and the grieving family. 

Her death comes close to two months after the passing of Sa'u Fiapaipai Justina Sa'u Lam, the Unit Trust of Samoa Chief Executive Officer.