The recent appointment of Lussil Julie Tuala as the new Chairwoman for the Samoa Life Assurance Corporation (S.L.A.C.) raises the number of women helming Government entity boards to three. 

Mrs. Tuala is currently serving her second term on S.L.A.C.’s board, a statement from the Ministry of Public Enterprises (M.P.E.) said. 

But after her elevation from director to Chairwoman, Mrs. Tuala now joins two other women colleagues at the helm of Government boards. 

“She joins Gatoloaifa’ana Tilianamua Afamasaga who is the Chair of the Samoa Qualifications Authority and Jennifer Ula Fruean who is the Chair of the Samoa Water Authority,” the statement said. 

Tuala is one of the five directorship appointments made by Cabinet on the 9 September 2020. 

“Two of these are new appointments. Ms Simeamativa Leota Vaai has been appointed to the Board of the Samoa Life Assurance Corporation while Magele Philip Penn has been appointed to the Board of the Samoa Housing Corporation,” the Ministry said at the time. 

“Simeamativa replaces Tuatagaloa Alfred Schwalger whose term ended on the 15th September 2020 and Magele replaces Jason Annandale who resigned last month to avoid any potential conflicts of interest with his wife who is the new Attorney General.” 

In September Tuatagaloa was told that his contract ended prematurely.  Tuatagaloa was moved from the Samoa International Finance Agency (S.I.F.A.) Board of Directors to S.L.A.C. in March this year was scheduled to end his contract in October.

According to the M.P.E., other directorship appointments include Peseta Peter Tone who has been re-appointed to the Board of the Development Bank of Samoa, and Tuiataga Nathan Bucknall who has been re-appointed to the Board of the Samoa Tourism Authority.