Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell

Lautafi Fio Selafi Joseph Purcell is a Samoan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.

Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell
Purcell in 2018
Minister of Labour, Industry and Commerce
In office 18 March 2016 – 24 May 2021[a]
Prime Minister	Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Preceded by	Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo
Succeeded by	Faumuina Asi Pauli Wayne Fong
Minister of Public Enterprises
In office 26 April 2014 – 24 May 2021
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Faumuina Asi Pauli Wayne Fong
Minister of Tourism
In office 18 March 2016 – 30 June 2016
Preceded by	Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Succeeded by	Sala Fata Pinati
Member of the Samoan Parliament for Satupaitea
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 August 2011
Preceded by	Asiata Sale'imoa Va'ai
Personal details
Political party	Human Rights Protection Party

Purcell was educated at Chanel College, Moamoa and St Paul's College, Auckland as well as Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.^[1] He subsequently worked as a prison manager, prison inspector and policy advisor for the New Zealand Department of Justice and Department of Corrections.^[1]

Purcell was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa in a 2011 by-election,^[2] and appointed Associate Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.^[1] Following a Cabinet reshuffle in April 2014 he was appointed as the first Minister of Public Enterprises.^[3]

He was re-elected unopposed at the 2016 Samoan general election^[4][5] and appointed Minister of Labour, Tourism and Samoa Land Corporation, as well as retaining his Government Enterprises portfolio.^[6][7] Another reshuffle in June 2016 saw him lose the Tourism portfolio to Sala Fata Pinati but retain Labour, Commerce, and Government Enterprises.^[8]

He is married to public servant Lematua Gisa Fuatai Purcell.^[9]

Notes

1. Disputed 24 May — 23 July 2021