List of leaders of Mava Council

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Leader of Mava Council
Maava Taapiit Puuaqat
Coat of Arms of Mava.png
Coat of arms of Mava
Incumbent
Kausaanek Malaati
since 22 March 2023
StyleNo courtesy title or style
Member ofMava Council Cabinet
AppointerAdministrator of Mava
Inaugural holderPaaliuk Kaasatok
Formation1972
SalaryA$50,000 annually
Websitehttp://mava.mv/puuaqat

The Leader of Mava Council is the head of government of Mava, an unincorporated territorial area of Atitlan. The Leader is elected by members of the Mava Council to chair and lead the Mava Council Cabinet, and is responsible for overseeing the development of policy and the administration of Mava's local government bodies.

Following on the Mava Statute, the Mava Council was given formal legislative powers and the right to pass secondary legislation. Beginning in 1972 with the passage of the statute, the council elects a member to lead the cabinet. Councillors convene following an election and select, on the basis of consensus, a member who is best placed to lead a government and represent the interests of Maveans. This is generally the councillor who received the most votes in the preceding election. The Leader nominates members to sit in the cabinet, who are approved by the council and appointed by the administrator.

Because of Mava's electoral system, in which half of councillors are elected every four years, leaders submit to a confidence vote following the next election (one in which they do not stand as a candidate). Only if they lose this confidence vote is a new leadership election held. The first leader, Paaliuk Kaasatok, was elected on 11 September 1972. The current leader, since 22 March 2023, is Kausaanek Malaati.

Nomination and appointment

The Chairman of the Government Council is appointed by the Presidency on the nomination of the Assembly of the Islands. Delegates to the Assembly may nominate anyone of their number as a candidate, with a minimum of 10 members representing at least three of the four jurisdictions required for a valid nomination. Candidates are formally nominated on the first Monday following a general election, or at the command of the President of the Assembly should nominations occur between elections. Voting occurs on the penultimate Monday of May, or on another date appointed by the speaker. A candidate requires a majority of members of all four jurisdiction delegations.

Voting is held in secret, with successive rounds of voting continuing until an outright winner is elected. There is no requirement for candidates to be party leaders, and a number of backbench members have been nominated in the past. However, it is generally accepted that the Assembly approves the nomination of the largest party.

According to precedent, outgoing chairmen serve until the end of the term of the Assembly. Mid-term nomination processes are generally avoided unless the chairman dies or is removed from office. The last chairman to leave office between elections was Paqtuq Maagamarak, who resigned in March 2023 ahead of the elections in May that year. Prior to this, the most recentl mid-term resignation was Teeqaat Nuisaat, who resigned half way through the 36th Assembly (1996) because of ill-health.

Role

The Chairman is head of government but enjoys significantly fewer powers than comparative positions in other countries. Because the Government Council operates de facto on the basis of collegiality, the position is officially first-amongst-equals and is responsible only for presiding and for overseeing its operations. Despite this, it is common practice for the Chairman to hold seniority over other ministers as a practical measure. Along with chairing duties, the office is also responsible for ensuring the preparation of reports to the Assembly and the publication of all confederal laws.

The Chairman also carries out some representative duties. The Chairman has, on occasion, spoken at the United Nations and is usually the member of the council who greets other heads of government. This duty, however, they may delegate to another minister.

The Great Seal of the Republic of Mava is held by the Chairman. However, the chairman does not hold the position of Keeper in their own right but rather on behalf of the council as a whole. Consequently, they exercise the powers of Keeper of the Great Seal only in consultation with and by the consent of the council as a whole.

List of office-holders

# Tenure Chairman Portrait Birth–death Party Jurisdiction
1 1925-1933 Paaliuk Kaasatok Mava politic personality icon.png 1880–1962 Anuvik North Mava
2 1933-1941 Kiigiak Taaquyok Mava politic personality icon.png 1889-1976 Anuvik North Mava
3 1941-1943 K.N. Mukkauniatok Mava politic personality icon.png 1888-1968 Anuvik South Mava
4 1943-1953 Pusiaarak Siminuk Mava politic personality icon.png 1891–1980 Anuvik Taak
5 1953-1972 Kussilaakug Kagaaq Mava politic personality icon.png 1912–1980 Anuvik Tokuksiagak
6 1972-1975 Pigaqamituuk Okulivaat Mava politic personality icon.png 1925-2013 Anuvik Tokuksiagak
7 1975-1983 Naasukkit Mikanaark Mava politic personality icon.png 1929-2001 Anuvik North Mava
8 1983-1990 Niqimuyaak Maait Mava politic personality icon.png 1939-1990 Anuvik South Mava
9 1990 Kiqoona Saarnerk Mava politic personality icon.png b.1959 Anuvik Tokuksiagak
10 1990-1996 Tiiqaat Nuisaat Mava politic personality icon.png b.1955 Anuvik South Mava
11 1996-2007 Kiqoona Saarnerk Mava politic personality icon.png b.1959 Anuvik Tokuksiagak
12 2007-2013 Akinvik Sipputi Mava politic personality icon.png b.1968 Anuvik North Mava
13 2013-2015 Nitigak Issitaunimaakok Mava politic personality icon.png b.1968 Anuvik South Mava
14 2015-2023 Paqtuq Maagamarak Paqtuq Maagamarak in 2021 b.1958 Anuvik North Mava
15 2023-present Kausaanek Malaati Kausaanek Malaati in 2021 b.1952 Anuvik North Mava

See also

Notes

External links