ʻAkilisi Pohiva

The Honourable ʻAkilisi Pohiva
Minister of Health
In office 4 January 2011 – 13 January 2011
Preceded by	Viliami Tangi
Succeeded by	Hon ʻUliti Uata
Member of the Tongan Parliament for Tongatapu 1
Incumbent
Assumed office 1987
Personal details
Political party	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands

Samuela 'Akilisi Pohiva is a Tongan politician and a leading member of that country's pro-democracy movement. He is a former teacher, broadcaster, and newspaper publisher,^[1] and a founding member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.

Personal life

Pohiva worked as a teacher and later studied at the University of the South Pacific before joining the Tongan Teacher Training Staff.^[2] He became active in Tonga's pro-democracy movement in the late 1970s, and in the early 1980s contributed to their monthly radio programme, "Matalafo Laukai".^[3] In 1984 he was dismissed from the civil service as punishment for his criticism of the government; he subsequently sued them successfully for unfair dismissal.^[3] He then became assistant editor of the democracy movement's monthly newsletter, Kele'a.

'Akilisi Pohiva is married to Neomai Pohiva.^{[citation needed]}

Political career

Pohiva is the longest-serving people's representative in the Tongan Parliament, having first been elected in 1987.^[4] His political career has been marked by constant battles with the Tongan monarchy over democracy, transparency and corruption. In 1996 he was imprisoned for contempt of Parliament on the order of the Legislative Assembly for reporting on Parliament's proceedings.^[1] He was subsequently released after the Supreme Court ruled that the imprisonment was “unlawful and unconstitutional".^[5] In 2002 he was charged with sedition over an article published in his newspaper Kele’a alleging the king had a secret fortune,^[6] but was acquitted by a jury.^[7]

On 18 January 2007 Pohiva was arrested over his role in the 2006 Nuku'alofa riots.^[5] He was subsequently charged with sedition.^[8] Hearing of the charges has been repeatedly delayed and is now not expected to occur until August 2008.^[9]

In the 2008 election he was re-elected for an eighth term as the No 1 Tongatapu People's Representative with 11,290 votes.

In September 2010, he established the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands along with other Human Rights and Democracy Movement People's Representatives, in order to contest the 2010 elections.^[10] He was elected as People's Representative, with 62.5% of the vote in the constituency Tongatapu 1.^[11] His party secured twelve of the seventeen seats for People's Representatives (the other five going to independent candidates, while representatives of the nobility held an additional nine seats). He announced his intention to stand for the position of Prime Minister. Following constitutional reforms, this would be the first time the Prime Minister was elected by Parliament, rather than appointed by the monarch. The election for the premiership was held on 21 December, between Pohiva and nobles' representative Lord Tuʻivakanō. Pohiva obtained twelve votes, but was defeated by Tuʻivakanō, who was duly elected with fourteen.^[12]

Following the election and selection of a Prime Minister he accepted a position in the new Cabinet, as Minister for Health.^[13][14] On January 13, however, he resigned from Cabinet, in protest against the inclusion in Cabinet of members from outside Parliament (to positions which he stated could have been entrusted to members of his party), and also to express his refusal to sign an agreement which would have prevented him from voting (in Parliament) against measures endorsed by Cabinet, based on the principle of collective Cabinet responsibility.^{[15] [16] [17]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b} S 'Akilisi Pohiva, (2002). "Media, justice in Tonga". Pacific Journalism Review 8: 96–104. http://www.asiapac.org.fj/PJR/issues/next/2002tonga.pdf. 
2. ^ Kit Withers. "Some Tongan Families: Aisea, Cocker, Pa'ongo, Pohiva, Tauelangi, Vaioleti, Vaka, Vao". http://kitwithers.fortunecity.com/tonga/tonga.html. Retrieved 2010-01-17. 
3. ^ ^{a b} 'I. F. Helu (1982). "Democracy Bug Bites Tonga". In Crocombe, ron. Culture & Democracy in the South Pacific. Suva, Fiji: University of the South Pacific. pp. 139–152. ISBN 982-02-0079-2. 
4. ^ According to his profile at the Tongan Parliament he had served 18 consecutive years when re-elected in 2005.
5. ^ ^{a b} Pro-democracy MP 'Akilisi Pohiva arrested, Pacific Media Watch, 18 January 2007
6. ^ Tonga's king centre piece in sedition court case against politicians and journalists, Michael Field, 13 May 2002.
7. ^ "MPs acquitted on sedition charges". The Age. 2003-05-20. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/19/1053196529908.html. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
8. ^ "Tongan pro-democracy leader released on bail, facing charges of sedition". Radio New Zealand International. 19 January 2007. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=29577. Retrieved 19 September 2011. 
9. ^ "Eight candidates for Tonga’s April General Election have pending court cases". Radio New Zealand International. 4 March 2008. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=38376. Retrieved 19 September 2011. 
10. ^ "Another new political party emerges in Tonga as country prepares for 2010 elections". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-09-06. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=55717. Retrieved 2010-09-07. 
11. ^ Results for Tongatapu, Matangi Tonga, 26 November 2010
12. ^ "Lord Tu'ivakano becomes new Tongan prime minister", BBC, 21 December 2010
13. ^ "Tonga’s prime minister names his cabinet". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-12-31. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=57961. Retrieved 2010-12-31. 
14. ^ "First meeting of Tonga's new Cabinet", Matangi Tonga, 5 January 2011
15. ^ Field, Michael (14 January 2011). "Tonga's democracy campaigner quits". Stuff.co.nz. http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/4541054/Tongas-democracy-campaigner-quits. Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
16. ^ "Democractic Party head resigns as Tongan health minister", Australia Network News, January 14, 2011
17. ^ "Tonga’s PM accepts resignation of Akilisi Pohiva from ministerial post". Radio New Zealand International. 14 January 2011. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=58200. Retrieved 19 September 2011. 

External links

• Profile at Tongan Parliament.

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Name	Pohiva, Samuela Akilisi
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