▁Park ▁Service ▁on ▁a ▁deal ▁negoti ated ▁by ▁Governor ▁Tul af ono ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁Mc Donald ' s ▁restaurant ▁on ▁Ut ule i ▁Beach . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Governor ▁Tul af ono ▁nominated ▁Li am at ua ▁to ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁L B J ▁Medical ▁Center . ▁He ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Sam oa ▁Senate ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 4 – 2 ▁vote . ▁Li am at ua ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁Sam oa ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁representing ▁Su ' a ▁Number ▁One ▁District . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁ret irement ▁and ▁communic ations ▁comm itte es . ▁ ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Sam o an ▁Affairs ▁Governor ▁T og i ola ▁Tul af ono ▁appointed ▁Li am at ua ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Sam o an ▁Affairs ▁on ▁January ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁He ▁succeeded ▁out going ▁Secretary ▁M aug a ▁T asi ▁As u ega . ▁Li am at ua ▁simultaneously ▁became ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Local ▁Government ▁upon ▁his ▁appointment ▁to ▁the ▁office . ▁Under ▁American ▁Sam o an ▁law , ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Sam o an ▁Affairs ▁is ▁selected ▁and ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Governor ▁from ▁the ▁territory ' s ▁senior ▁m ata i , ▁or ▁chief s . ▁The ▁selection ▁of ▁the ▁Sam o an ▁Affairs ▁Secretary ▁is ▁the ▁sole ▁dis cret ion ▁of ▁the ▁Governor ▁and ▁does ▁not ▁need ▁the ▁appro val