One of Samoa's longest serving MPs, Le Mamea Ropati, is to retire from politics at the end of this term, in March next year.
The once aspiring prime ministerial candidate will end a colourful career that has taken him to both sides of the House and a return to the political party he helped found.
Le Mamea was a Minister of Education in the first ever Human Rights Protection Party government in 1982.
Samoa's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Le Mamea Ropati Photo: Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Talamua Online reports it was at that time that the idea of setting up what is now the National University of Samoa was first floated.
After the 1985 general elections he cross the floor to form a coalition government, but then spent more than 20 years on the opposition benches.
After the 2011 elections, he returned to the Human Rights Protection Party and was made the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
