Frank Lui

Who is Frank Lui?

Frank Fakaotimanava Lui was a Niuean politician who served as Premier of Niue from 1993 to 1999. Born on 19 November 1935, he was raised on Niue by his grandparents after his parents and older siblings emigrated to Wellington, New Zealand; he later joined them as a child, attending school in Wellington before returning to Niue in 1956 to care for his grandparents. He was first elected to the Niue Assembly in 1963 at the age of 28, becoming the youngest person ever elected to the body, and went on to serve as a minister holding portfolios including Works, Police, Electricity, Fisheries, Forests, and Tourism under Premier Robert Rex. In 1993 he was elected Premier, defeating Young Vivian, and was narrowly re-elected in 1996. His second term passed anti-corruption legislation and banned drift-net fishing within Niue's Exclusive Economic Zone. After leaving Parliament in 1999 he remained active in Niuean public life, chairing the IUSN Foundation charity that brought free internet access to Niueans from 2010. He was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1999 and died on Niue in July 2021.

Sources: Frank Lui — Wikipedia biographical summary · RNZ Pacific, "Former Niue premier, Frank Lui, passes away" (2021) · WorldAtlas, "Premiers Of Niue Through History"