Former Common Roll MP Morris Hemu Tafatu was laid to rest yesterday.

Former Director of Agriculture and former Common Roll Member of the Niue Legislative Assembly Morris Hemu Tafatu was laid to rest at his home at Tumau yesterday afternoon.

Members of the Niue Legislature, government officials, family, and friends gathered at the home where he spend most of his time to farewell a former Niue scholar, politician, and man of strong faith.

His eulogy was delivered by his daughter Cherie Morris Tafatu with other members of the family paying tribute to their father, brother, cousin, and uncle.

His nephew Justin Kamupala, the government’s Solicitor General paid tribute to his uncle ‘A man of faith and a man of principles, the combination was a man of determination”.

Premier Dalton Tagelagi spoke on behalf of the government thanking the family for the life of service of Morris Tafatu serving his country in the public service and in the legislature in a total public service career of 36 years.

“Together we pay our respects to a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Niue, Mr Morris Hemu Tafatu.”

Morris Hemu Tafatu started working in government in 1956 until 1983 when he left the service on sabbatical during his tenure as Director of Agriculture.

The following year in 1984 he was elected to the Fono Ekepule where he served for 9 years in three consecutive terms.

Mr Tafatu’s wife Ofania Tafatu passed away several years ago.

Morris Hemu Tafatu passed away on Saturday last week at the Niuefoou hospital surrounded by his family. He was 86 years old.