Litokwa Tomeing - Biography - Career

Career

Tomeing is a traditional chief.

He became a principal and teacher at Ebon Elementary School in 1961, and remained with the school until 1964. He then moved to Majuro, where he taught at Rita Elementary School from 1965 until 1968.

Tomeing was elected the Mayor of Wotje Atoll, his first public office. He remained in office as Mayor of Wotje from 1965 until 1969. He taught at Wotje Elementary School from 1968 until 1973, while continuing to serve as mayor. He moved back to Majuro in 1974, where he was employed at the Marshall Islands High School as the school's Media and Curriculum specialist.

Tomeing campaigned for and won a seat in the Nitijela, representing a constituency which included the Ebon Atoll, Namdrik Atoll, Kili, and Jaluit atolls. He held this seat from 1974 until 1978. In 1976, Tomeing was appointed as one the Marshallese delegates at the Federated States of Micronesia Constitutional Convention, which was held in Saipan, the Northern Mariana Islands.

In 1978, Tomeing became a delegate and member at large to the Marshall Islands Constitutional Convention, which was held in Majuro.

Tomeing was again elected as one of the 33 members of the Nitijela in 1979, shortly after the political separation of the Marshall Islands from the neighboring Federated States of Micronesia. He has held a seat in the Nitijela continuously since 1979, as of September 2010.

Tomeing served as the Vice Speaker of the Nitijela from 1992 to 1995. He then became a member of the Cabinet as the Minister-in-Assistance to the President from 1996 until 1998. Tomeing held a "supervisory role" over the Ratak Chain as part of his cabinet position.

Tomeing became the Speaker in 2000. He served as Speaker of the Nitijela for eight years before defecting from the governing United Democratic Party (UDP) to the opposition in November 2007, shortly before the November 2007 parliamentary election.