was subsequently elected as prime minister, with a five-member Cabinet formed on 16 October 1989. He remained PM until the 1993 general election. 1993 elections to the Parliament of Tuvalu The general election was held on 2 September 1993. In the subsequent parliament the members were evenly split in their support of the incumbent prime minister Bikenibeu Paeniu and the former prime minister Tomasi Puapua. As a consequence, the governor-general dissolved the parliament on 22 September and a further election took place on 25 November 1993. Tomasi Puapua chose not to offer himself as a candidate for PM. The subsequent parliament elected Kamuta Latasi as prime minister on 10 December 1993, with a 7:5 majority over the group a members of parliament headed by former prime minister Bikenibeu Paeniu. The deputy prime minister was Otinielu Tausi and Tomasi Puapua was appointed the speaker of the parliament. Kamuta Latasi was the prime minister until 17 December 1996. As the result of the vote on a motion of no confidence Kamuta Latasi resigned and Bikenibeu Paeniu was elected as prime minister for the second time on 23 December 1996. He remained as prime minister until the 1998 general elections. 1998 elections to the Parliament of Tuvalu On 18 December 1997 the parliament was dissolved and the general election was held on 26 March 1998. During the election campaign, candidates from the incumbent government and the opposition traded allegations of sexual and financial misconduct. The result of the election was that 7 existing members were returned (including Bikenibeu Paeniu and Tomasi Puapua); 2 members of previous parliaments were elected; and 3 new members were elected. Former prime minister Kamuta Latasi lost his seat. Bikenibeu Paeniu was re-elected prime minister on 8 April 1998; the deputy prime minister was Kokea Malua and Tomu Sione was appointed as Speaker of the parliament. Bikenibeu Paeniu remained as prime minister until he resigned following the vote on a motion of no confidence (7:4) on 14 April 1999. Ionatana Ionatana was then elected as prime minister on 27 April 1999. After the death of prime minister Ionatana on 8 December 2000, Lagitupu Tuilimu was acting prime minister from 8 December 2000 to 24 February 2001. Faimalaga Luka became the prime minister on 23 February 2001 and was sworn in the next day with a reshuffled cabinet. Luka's government lasted until December 2001, when he lost office as the