Bwebwetake Areieta (died 8 March 1980) was an I-Kiribati politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly from 1971 until his death, also holding the posts of Member for Social Services and Minister of Communications, Works and Utilities during the 1970s.
Biography Originally from Maiana, Areieta married Matereti from Onotoa and the couple moved to Bairiki. He began work in the civil service in 1963 and became editor of the Colony Information Notes weekly newsheet,People Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1969, p105 In 1966 he was seconded to the Public Relations Office of the Fijian government for a short spell. He became an assistant broadcasting officer for Radio Tarawa and attended a BBC producers course in the UK.People Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1970, p93 He later rose to become officer-in-charge of the broadcasting department.Bwebwetake Areieta Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1980, p98
In 1971 he was elected to the Legislative Council of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and was appointed Member for Social Services.New-look Gilbert and Ellice politics may spark ailing public interest Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1971, p24 After being re-elected to the new House of Assembly in 1974 he was appointed Minister of Communications, Works and Utilities by Chief Minister Naboua Ratieta. Although he was re-elected again in 1978, Ratieta lost the election for Chief Minister and Areieta was left out of the new cabinet.
He died in March 1980 in a motorcycle accident.
References