{{Short description|Marshallese politician (born 1952)}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = File:Speaker of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands Brenson S. Wase.jpg | order1 = Speaker of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands | term_start1 = 3 January 2024 | president1 = Hilda Heine | predecessor1 = Kenneth Kedi | successor1 = | order2 = Minister of Finance | term_start2 = 15 October 2021 | term_end2 = 23 June 2023 | president2 = David Kabua | predecessor2 = Alfred Alfred Jr. | successor2 = Casten Nemra | term_start3 = 1 February 2016 | term_end3 = January 2020 | president3 = Hilda Heine | predecessor3 = Jack Ading | successor3 = Alfred Alfred Jr. | term_start4 = 2002 | term_end4 = 2008 | president4 = Kessai Note | predecessor4 = Michael Konelios | successor4 = Jack Ading | birth_name = Brenson S. Wase | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1952|5|28}} | birth_place = Ine, Arno Atoll, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Antonia U. Wase | children = 5 | party = | education = University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (BS) | caption = Wase in 2016 }} '''Brenson S. Wase''' (born 28 May 1952) is a Marshallese politician who has been Speaker of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands since 2024, and a member of the legislature since 1983. He has been the head of the ministries of Social Services, Resources and Development, Interior and Outer Islands Affairs, Internal Affairs, Transportation and Communications, Finance, and Justice between 1984 and 2023.
==Early life and education== Brenson S. Wase was born in Ine, Arno Atoll, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, on 28 May 1952. He attended the Mizpha High School of Micronesia and the Mid-Pacific Institute. He graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo with a bachelor of science degree in business administration.{{sfn|President of the Marshall Islands}}{{sfn|Nitijela of the Marshall Islands}}
==Career== In the 1983 election Wase won a seat in the Legislature of the Marshall Islands and still serves in the legislature. In 1999, his constituency was transferred from Arno to Majuro.{{sfn|President of the Marshall Islands}} Donald Capelle defeated Wase to become Speaker of the legislature in 2012.{{sfn|Loeak elected new Marshall Islands President|2012}} Wase defeated Bruce Bilimon to become speaker by a vote of 18 to 15 in 2024.{{sfn|Hilda wins election|2024}} He is the second-longest serving member of the legislature as of 2024.{{sfn|Hilda Heine sworn in as President of the Marshall Islands|2024}}
Wase was Minister of Social Services from 1984 to 1987, Minister of Resources and Development from 1988 to 1991, Minister of Interior and Outer Islands Affairs from 1991 to 1995, Minister of Internal Affairs from 1995 to 1999, and Minister of Transportation and Communications from 2000 to 2002.{{sfn|President of the Marshall Islands}}
Wase was Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2008,{{sfn|President of the Marshall Islands}} and from 15 October 2021 to 23 June 2023.{{sfn|Brenson joins RMI Cabinet|2021}}{{sfn|Casten takes up Finance|2023}} Wase was critical of the European Union for listing the Marshall Islands on its tax haven blacklist.{{sfn|Johnson|2023}}
==Personal life== Wase married Antonia U. Wase, with whom he had five children.{{sfn|President of the Marshall Islands}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Works cited== {{refbegin|30em}} ===News=== * {{Cite news |date=21 October 2021 |title=Brenson joins RMI Cabinet |work=The Marshall Islands Journal |url=https://marshallislandsjournal.com/brenson-joins-rmi-cabinet/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706165109/https://marshallislandsjournal.com/brenson-joins-rmi-cabinet/ |archive-date=6 July 2025 |ref={{harvid|Brenson joins RMI Cabinet|2021}}}} * {{Cite news |date=29 June 2023 |title=Casten takes up Finance |work=The Marshall Islands Journal |url=https://marshallislandsjournal.com/casten-takes-up-finance/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706165112/https://marshallislandsjournal.com/casten-takes-up-finance/ |archive-date=6 July 2025 |ref={{harvid|Casten takes up Finance|2023}}}} * {{Cite news |date=3 January 2024 |title=Hilda Heine sworn in as President of the Marshall Islands |work=Radio New Zealand |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/505980/hilda-heine-sworn-in-as-president-of-the-marshall-islands |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706171457/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/505980/hilda-heine-sworn-in-as-president-of-the-marshall-islands |archive-date=6 July 2025 |ref={{harvid|Hilda Heine sworn in as President of the Marshall Islands|2024}}}} * {{Cite news |date=4 January 2024 |title=Hilda wins election |work=The Marshall Islands Journal |url=https://marshallislandsjournal.com/hilda-wins-election/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105120412/https://marshallislandsjournal.com/hilda-wins-election/ |archive-date=5 January 2024 |ref={{harvid|Hilda wins election|2024}}}} * {{Cite news |date=3 January 2012 |title=Loeak elected new Marshall Islands President |work=Radio New Zealand |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/201772/loeak-elected-new-marshall-islands-president |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706171745/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/201772/loeak-elected-new-marshall-islands-president |archive-date=6 July 2025 |ref={{harvid|Loeak elected new Marshall Islands President|2012}}}} * {{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Giff |date=24 February 2023 |title=Marshall Islands officials upset at EU tax blacklisting |work=Radio New Zealand |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/484795/marshall-islands-officials-upset-at-eu-tax-blacklisting |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706171610/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/484795/marshall-islands-officials-upset-at-eu-tax-blacklisting |archive-date=6 July 2025}}
===Web=== * {{Cite web |title=Honorable Brenson S. Wase |publisher=President of the Marshall Islands |url=http://www.rmigovernment.org/cabinet_detail.jsp?docid=19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621013342/http://www.rmigovernment.org/cabinet_detail.jsp?docid=19 |archive-date=21 June 2011 |ref={{harvid|President of the Marshall Islands}}}} * {{Cite web |title=Nitijela of the Marshall Islands |publisher=Institute of Museum and Library Services |url=https://pacificdigitallibrary.org/cgi-bin/pdl?e=d-000off-pdl--00-2--0--010---4-------0-1l--10en-50---20-text---00-3-1-00bySR-0-0-000utfZz-8-00&a=d&cl=CL1.9&d=HASH01a1064060bc9b6f51af8478.10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706165208/https://pacificdigitallibrary.org/cgi-bin/pdl?e=d-000off-pdl--00-2--0--010---4-------0-1l--10en-50---20-text---00-3-1-00bySR-0-0-000utfZz-8-00&a=d&cl=CL1.9&d=HASH01a1064060bc9b6f51af8478.10 |archive-date=6 July 2025 |ref={{harvid|Nitijela of the Marshall Islands}}}}
{{refend}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wase, Brenson}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Finance ministers of the Marshall Islands Category:Social affairs ministers of the Marshall Islands Category:Communication ministers of the Marshall Islands Category:Justice ministers of the Marshall Islands Category:Transport ministers of the Marshall Islands Category:Members of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands Category:University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo alumni Category:People from the Ratak Chain Category:Speakers of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands