Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva submits cabinet lineup to king

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has named businessman, Dr Tu’i Uata as the Minister for Labour and Commerce according to a list leaked to the local media.

Dr. Uata is not an elected Member of Parliament.

According to the Constitution, the Prime Minister may appoint no more than four cabinet ministers from outside Parliament.

Pōhiva named Tongatapu 2 MP Sēmisi Lafu Sika as Deputy Prime Minister when his lineup was submitted to the palace office yesterday.

Appointment of Prime Minister

The submission was made after His Majesty King Tupou VI appointed Pōhiva as Tonga’s Prime Minister until 2021.

The Prime Minister has the power to nominate his cabinet lineup before recommending the king to appoint them, according to the Constitution.

Lord Ma’afu has been re-elected from the nobility by Pōhiva to be Minister of Land and Survey.

The Ministry of Defence, a portfolio the noble held in the Pōhiva government before the November snap election, has been removed and brought under the control of the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Custom and Revenues has been brought under the control of the Minister of Police Māteni Tapueluelu.

Four of Pōhiva’s Democratic Party team who had been elected after the snap election on November 16 do not have portfolios.

They were Tongatapu 5 MP Losaline Mā’asi, Ha’apai 12 MP Mo’ale Fīnau, Ha’apai 13 MP Veivosa Taka and Niua 17 MP Vātau Hui.

Confirmation

The Minister of Justice Vuna Fā’otusia has confirmed the lineup list obtained by Kaniva News.

He said it has yet to be officially announced because it was being submitted to the king.

Fā’otusia said some of the legislation regarding government portfolios have to be changed to allow movements of some of the ministries such as Sports and Information.

The Ministry of Sports which is currently under the control of the Minister of Internal Affairs was planned to be returned to the control of the Minister of Education.

The Ministry of Information was also intended to be attached to the Prime Minster’s portfolios.

Fā’otusia alleged corruption existed in the Ministry of Custom and Revenues and that was why the portfolio was given to the Minister of Police.

The new lineup:

Samuela Akilisi Pōhiva – Prime Minister of Tonga and Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs

2. Sēmisi Sika – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism and Infrastructure

3. Sēmisi Fakahau – Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry and Food

4. Dr. Pōhiva Tuionetoa – Minister of Finance and National Planning

5. Penisimani Fifita – Minister of Education

6. Poasi Tei – Minister of Energy, Environment, Information and Climate Change (MEIDEEC)

7. ‘Akosita H. Lavulavu – Minister of Internal Affairs and Sports

8. Dr. Tu’i Uata – Minister of Labour and Commerce

9. Dr. Saia Piukala – Minister of Health and Public Enterprises

10. Lord Ma’afu – Minister of Lands and Survey

11. Sione Vuna Fā’otusia – Minister of Justice and Prisons

12. Māteni Tapueluelu – Minister of Police & Fire Services and Customs and Revenue