Biographical entry: Li'i, Emilio (1936 - )
- Born
- 1936
Details
Emilio Li'i was born at Ahenawaimaka village on Small Malaita in 1936. His early education was at the Marist Brothers Primary School in Tarapaina, Rokera, and St. Joseph's School at Tenaru, and he then completed five years of secondary school at Chanel College in Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. For two years (1960-1961) he studied for the priesthood at the higher school of philosophy at Rabaul, and continued his studies at Toongabee Marist Fathers College in Sydney. He gave up these studies on medical grounds, and returned home to teach at Tenaru primary school. He qualified as a Grade III teacher at the British Solomon Islands Training College (q.v.) in 1965, and was employed as a schoolteacher for the Catholic Mission from 1966 to 1969. Li'i stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Small Malaita electorate in the 1967 Legislative Council(q.v.) general elections, and from 1970 to 1973 was employed by the Honiara Town Council as a schoolteacher. He was a member of the Solomon United National Party and of the South Malaita Boys Association in Honiara. Li'i was influential in introducing communal farms and businesses to 'Are'are and Small Malaita, and he inspired the founding of the Maka store and trading company, which developed branches around Small Malaita and 'Are'are. Li'i became the member for South Malaita in the Governing Council (q.v.) in 1973, and was elected to represent Small Malaita in the Legislative Assembly in 1976. (NS 7 July 1973; SND 9 July 1976)