- Cabinet of Tonga
-
Tonga 
This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Tonga- Constitution
- King
- Prime Minister
- Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō
- Cabinet
- Legislative Assembly (current)
- Speaker
- Hon. Lasike
- Speaker
- Privy Council
- Elections: 2005, 2008, 2010
- Political parties:
- Foreign relations
The Cabinet of Tonga is the cabinet (executive branch) of the government of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is composed primarily of the ministers of government. The latter, including the Prime Minister, are appointed by the monarch. The Governor of Ha'apai and the Governor of Vava'u also serve on the Cabinet ex officio. When in session and presided over by the monarch, the Cabinet is known as the Privy Council.[1]
Contents
Current Cabinet
The current Cabinet results from the November 2010 general election, the first enabling ordinary citizens to elect a majority of Members of Parliament, and the first also enabling Parliament to elect the Prime Minister. After being elected Prime Minister by Parliament, Lord Tuʻivakanō appointed the following as his Cabinet. His decision to appoint Dr. Ana Taufeʻulungaki and Clive Edwards, who were not Members of Parliament, was met with some controversy, but Tuʻivakanō defended his choice on the grounds of their experience. It also meant that the Ministry for Women's Affairs would be headed by a woman; as all members of the legislature were men, appointing a Member of Parliament to the position would have meant it being held by a man.[2]
The Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, which had won twelve of the seventeen seats allotted to people's representatives in the Assembly, requested six seats in Cabinet, but was awarded only two, generating some disagreements within the party itself. Senior party MPs ʻAkilisi Pohiva and ʻIsileli Pulu nevertheless accepted the proposed Cabinet positions.[3][4]
Lord Tuʻivakanō's first Cabinet, announced at the beginning of January 2011, was thus the following[5]. On 13 January, however, newly appointed Health Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva (People's representative for Tongatapu 1) resigned, in protest over his party having only two Cabinet positions, and refusing to be bound by collective Cabinet responsibility[6][7][8]. He was replaced by ʻUliti Uata (DPFI, People's Representative for Haʻapai 13) on 25 January[9].
Portfolio Minister Constituency Party Prime Minister,
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Minister for Defence,
Minister for Information and CommunicationLord Tuʻivakanō Nobles' representative
for TongatapuNone Deputy Prime Minister,
Minister for Justice,
Minister for Transport and WorksSamiu Kuita Vaipulu People's representative
for Vavaʻu 15Independent Minister for Lands, Survey, Natural Resources
and Environment and Climate ChangeLord Maʻafu Nobles' representative
for TongatapuNone Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries Lord Vaea Nobles' representative
for TongatapuNone Minister for Finance Sunia Manu Fili People's representative
for ʻEua 11Independent Minister for Training, Employment, Youth and Sports Feʻaomoeata Vakata People's representative
for Niuas 17Independent Minister for Police, Prisons and Fire Services Viliami Latu People's representative
for Vavaʻu 16Independent Minister for Labour, Commerce and Industries Lisiate ʻAloveita ʻAkolo People's representative
for Vavaʻu 14Independent Minister for Health ʻAkilisi Pohiva People's representative
for Tongatapu 1Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands Minister for Tourism ʻIsileli Pulu People's representative
for Tongatapu 4Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands Minister for Revenue Services and Public Enterprises Wiliam Clive Edwards not in Parliament People's Democratic Party Minister for Education, Women Affairs and Culture Dr. ʻAna Maui Taufeʻulungaki not in Parliament None On September 1, 2011, following a reshuffle which switched portfolios around without adding any new minister nor removing any, the Cabinet was as follows[10]:
Portfolio Minister Constituency Party Prime Minister,
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Minister for Defence,
Minister for Information and CommunicationLord Tuʻivakanō Nobles' representative
for TongatapuNone Deputy Prime Minister,
Minister for Transport and WorksSamiu Kuita Vaipulu People's representative
for Vavaʻu 15Independent Minister for Lands, Survey, Natural Resources
and Environment and Climate ChangeLord Maʻafu Nobles' representative
for TongatapuNone Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries Lord Vaea Nobles' representative
for TongatapuNone Minister for Finance and Inland Revenue Sunia Manu Fili People's representative
for ʻEua 11Independent Minister for Training, Employment, Youth and Sports Feʻaomoeata Vakata People's representative
for Niuas 17Independent Minister for Tourism Viliami Latu People's representative
for Vavaʻu 16Independent Minister for Police, Prisons and Fire Services Lisiate ʻAloveita ʻAkolo People's representative
for Vavaʻu 14Independent Minister for Health ʻUliti Uata People's representative
for Haʻapai 13Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands Minister for Labour, Commerce and Industries ʻIsileli Pulu People's representative
for Tongatapu 4Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands Minister for Justice;
Minister for Public EnterprisesWiliam Clive Edwards not in Parliament People's Democratic Party Minister for Education, Women Affairs and Culture Dr. ʻAna Maui Taufeʻulungaki not in Parliament None Past Cabinets
Sevele Cabinet
For the most part, the Cabinet below results from a reshuffle in May 2009, but Teisina Fuko was subsequently appointed Minister for Revenue Services in October, and Samiu Vaipulu became Minister of Justice in November. John Cauchi became Attorney General in May 2009, but resigned in April 2010.[11][12][13][14][15]
Portfolio Minister Prime Minister,
Minister of Communication,
Mininister of Disaster Relief & Activities,
Mininister of Labour, Commerce, and IndustriesDr. Feleti Sevele Deputy Prime Minister,
Minister of HealthDr. Viliami Tangi Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, and Forestry HSH Prince Tu'ipelehake Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tuku'aho Minister of Civil Aviation, Marine, and Ports Paul Karalus Minister of Defense,
Minister of Foreign AffairsDr. Feleti Sevele (acting) Minister of Education, Women's Affairs, and Culture Tevita Hala Palefau Minister of Finance Siosiua Utoikamanu Minister of Justice Samiu Vaipulu Attorney General vacant Minister of Lands, Survey, Natural Resources, and Environment Siosaia Ma'Ulupekotofa Tuita Minister of Police, Fire Services, and Prisons Dr. Viliami Tangi (acting) Minister of Tourism Fineasi Funaki Minister of Training, Employment, Youth, and Sports Siale'ataonga Tu'ivakano Minister of Works Nuku Minister of Information and Communication 'Eseta Fusitu'a Minister of Revenue Services Teisina Fuko Governor of Ha'apai Malupo[16] Governor of Vava'u[17] Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi Taumoepeau Tupou External links
- Cabinet of Tonga: information on the Tongan government website (page under construction)
References
- ^ Tonga profil, United States Department of State
- ^ "Tonga PM justifies appointing unelected ministers". Radio New Zealand International. 6 January 2011. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=58036. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
- ^ "Editorial: Democracy's day one step closer in Tonga". The New Zealand Herald. 4 January 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10697747. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
- ^ "Confusion over Tonga's Democratic Party being in Cabinet", ABC Radio Australia, 6 Jan 2011
- ^ "First meeting of Tonga's new Cabinet", Matangi Tonga, 5 Jan 2011
- ^ 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 22 September 2011.
- ^ "Democractic Party head resigns as Tongan health minister", Australia Network News, 14 Jan 2011
- ^ "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 22 September 2011.
- ^ "New Minister of Health", Matangi Tonga, 26 Jan 2011
- ^ "Cabinet quietly reshuffles portfolios", Matangi Tonga, September 7, 2011
- ^ "Tonga cabinet reshuffle", Matangi Tonga, 5 May 2009
- ^ "PR Teisina Fuko becomes a Cabinet Minister", Matangi Tonga, 29 Oct 2009
- ^ "Samiu Vaipulu, Tonga's new Minister of Justice", Matangi Tonga, 10 Nov 2009
- ^ "Tonga's new Attorney General", Matangi Tonga, 2 Jun 2009
- ^ "Tongan A-G resigns over government interference", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 30 Apr 2010
- ^ "Joyful welcome for "Tu'i Ha'apai"", Matangi Tonga, 14 Aug 2008
- ^ "The people of Hunga welcome Indian diplomat", Matangi Tonga, 5 Jul 2008
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Categories:- Government of Tonga
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