Nurses farewell former nurse and congratulate new MP

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 23 MAY 2022: The Nurses’ Association held a momentous get-together to celebrate the success of a former nurse, Faagasealii Sapo’a Feaga’i who was sworn-in last Tuesday as an additional woman member of parliament for the Aleipata Itupa-i-lalo constituency.

The celebration also bid farewell to the nurse of 37 years who had to resign from her nursing career when she ran as an election candidate.

Faagasealii is one of the three additional women parliamentarians who were sworn in last week after the Court ruled in their favour.

She told Talamua that leaving her 37 years long career in nursing is bittersweet and is looking forward to her political career and what lies ahead for her.

“It’s been a blessing to have these nurses together with me to encourage me about my calling in Parliament and I thank God for using me as a member of parliament to serve my country and my constituency,” she added.

Faagasealii graduated in 1985 from the School of Nursing at the National University of Samoa and started working in the hospital since.

“I was starting from a very small knowledge base in nursing because it was quite a difficult time back then but today it’s quite a big challenge for us as nurses because we have a big milestone in our career.”

New woman MP, Faagasealii Feaiagi (seated 5th from right) saying goodbye to nursing after 37 years for a career in politics.

President of the Nurses Association, Solialofi Papalii congratulated Faagasealii in her new calling and acknowledged that this is not the first time a nurse has become a member of parliament. She acknowledged the first two nurses who became role models for women and nurses when they were elected into parliament.

These were the late Leaupepe Faimaala who became the first woman Deputy Speaker in the late 1970’s and the late Matatumua Maiamoaga who was the Principal of Nursing when she entered parliament in 1985.

“This opened the door for all nurses to be optimistic about opportunities in politics,” said Solialofi Papalii.

This is the third time Faagasealii has contested her constituency’s seat and this time, she came through as the second woman candidate with the highest percentage of votes to fill the 10 percent quota of women members in Parliament.