Fakamalo koeʻuhi ko e Mentorship ʻa Clayton Yeutter

Thirty-five years ago, around Thanksgiving, Â Keleitoni Yeutter was focused on using American trade laws to negotiate on behalf of the United States for the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. As the U.S. Trade Representative in the Reagan administration, one of his main goals was to make it easier for farmers to buy and sell their products across borders.

Naʻa ne kole ki heʻene kau ʻetivaisa ke nau ta ha palani ki he ngaahi fonua ke tuʻusi ʻenau subsidies, tute, mo e ʻā vahevahe ʻo e māketí. Naʻa nau foki mai mo ha fokotuʻu ke fakasiʻisiʻi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ni ʻaki 50 peseti ʻe 10 tupu. ʻI he taimi naʻa nau fai ai ʻenau fakaangaanga, Naʻe sio ki ai ʻa Yeutter ʻo makohikohi ki tuʻa mei he 50 pea fetongi ʻaki ia ʻa e 100 Pesetí. As a skilled negotiator, he realized that if you want to get to fifty, ʻoku fie maʻu ke ke kamata ʻi he teau.

Clayton got buy-in from the Secretary of Agriculture, hono kaungā ʻōfisa kapineti, and the United States set the table for what became one of the most important trade pacts ever negotiated in human history.

This story and many others are included in a new biography that talks about his role in global trade at this point in America’s history. The title, “Ngaahi maau mo e tau: Keleitoni Yeutter tangata falealea ʻAmelika,” is a reference to what Yeutter would say when a person asked the pronunciation of his last name. He was an extraordinary public servant and statesman whose efforts in support of cross-border business and free trade are still having a positive impact on agriculture and farmers.

Ne u maheni mo Keleitoni ʻi he ngaahi taʻu fakaʻosi ʻo ʻene moʻuí. ʻOku mau fehokotaki ʻi ha tefitoʻi tuʻunga: Ko ha tamasiʻi faama ia mei Nepulasikā pea ko ha kiʻi taʻahine faama au mei ʻAiouā. Naʻa ma fakatou mahuʻingaʻia ʻi he tuʻutuʻuni fakapuleʻanga, tautautefito ki he fakaʻapaʻapa ki he ngoué. Naʻá ne ngāue ki ha kau palesiteni ʻe toko fā, pea kuó u ngāue ki ha kōvana.

His career was prestigious—after serving as U.S. Fakafofonga fefakatauÊ»aki Ê»i he malumalu Ê»o Palesiteni Leikeni, naʻá ne hoko ko e Sekelitali Ê»o e Ngoué Ê»i he malumalu Ê»o Palesiteni Siaosi H.W. Bush—he was a busy man whose advise was sought out by many, ka naÊ»e teÊ»eki ai ke ne lau ia Ê»oku fuÊ»u mahuÊ»inga pe femoÊ»uekina kiate au. Naʻá ku fiefia Ê»i ha fakaafe tauÊ»atāina ke sio ki ai Ê»i haÊ»ane Ê»aÊ»ahi ki Uasingatoni, H.C., pea naÊ»a ne tokanga Ê»aupito ki he netiueka fakamamani lahi Ê»a e tangata faama koeÊ»uhi he naÊ»a ne tui ki he misiona Ê»o Ê»emau kautaha naÊ»e taki mo lea Ê»aki Ê»e he kau fama Ê»a ia Ê»oku nau poupouÊ»i Ê»a e ngaahi tuÊ»utuÊ»uni fefakatauÊ»aki lelei ange mo lava ke hu ki he tekinolosia fakasaienisi Ê»i he ngoue.

ʻI ha ngaahi taʻu lahi mo e ngaahi fakataha maʻu meʻatokoni pongipongi, naʻá ne hoko ko ha tokotaha faifaleʻi tā sīpinga: a person who shared his experience and advice and expected nothing in return.  While his expertise and perspective were sought out, naʻe toe lahi foki mo ha ngaahi fakamatala taʻe ʻaongá mo e ʻimeili ʻo e fakalotolahi meiate ia naʻá ne ʻomi ha fakapapauʻi o e ngāué mo e pōpokí naʻe vahevahe fakamāmanilahi ʻe he kau ngoue ʻo e netiueka fakamāmani lahí.

Naʻe malolo ʻa Keleitoni Yeutter ʻi he 2017, but the book brings him back to life. I can see that broad grin and hear his voice saying: "Kuo pau ke tau liberalize ʻa e fefakatauʻaki ngoue ʻi mamani, koeʻuhí ke lava ʻo tafe ʻa e ngaahi nāunau meʻakaí ʻi he feituʻu ʻoku fie maʻu aí. Trade barriers must be made more expensive for countries that resort to them.”

Naʻe mahuʻinga ʻa e tefitoʻi moʻoni ko ʻení ki he ngāue ʻo ʻene moʻuí, ʻi heʻene hoko atu ke aleaʻi e ngaahi aleapau fefakatauʻaki mo Kanata, Siapani, ko e ʻIunioni ʻIulopé, pea mo e māmaní kotoa. Naʻe ʻai ʻe Keleitoni Yeutter ke toe lelei ange ʻa e moʻui ʻa e kau ngoue ʻi hono taimi pe ʻoʻona pea ʻoku kei hokohoko atu pe hono ʻai ʻe hono ivi takiekina ke toe lelei ange ʻa e kau ngoue he ʻaho ni.

As I prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States with my family this week, I have much to be thankful for. Included in that long list are the mentors I have been privileged to have in my life. And this year, special gratitude for the remarkable legacy and friendship of Clayton Yeutter.