Siaosi Sovaleni

 Hu'akavameiliku received 14 votes while the Tongatapu MP Aisake 'Eke got 11 votes.

Eke had filed a motion for a vote of no confidence last week with 46 issues raised to support the call.

Hu'akavameiliku said he was happy the issue has been dealt with and he and the government can continue to do the work they were elected to do.

"I am grateful that the vote of no confidence has been dealt with and we can move on to working for the country and her people," he said.

The motion was filed on Tuesday by 10 MPs.

An MP who does not wish to be named, told Matangi Tonga that eight people's representatives and two noble representatives had submitted the motion.

No further details have emerged.

There are 26 seats in Tonga's Legislative Assembly comprising nine noble's representatives and 17 people's representatives have 17.

PM Sovaleni said ““As future leaders of our Blue Pacific, it is very important that you stay united and work together to build mutual trust.”

 “USPSA has done a good job in starting the Pacific Youth Movement on Good Governance in the Pacific since 2021.”

He made the following remarks when he officially opened the 26th USP student council meeting at the Tonga campus.

The two met on Friday, 26 May 2023.

Ambassador Leger is based in Suva, Fiji, and concurrently the accredited Ambassador to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu.

Hu'akavameiliku met with Hipkins in England where he was attending King Charles III's coronation.

He said Hipkins had reassured him that dawn raids on overstayers would not be repeated in the future.

It was the Tongan leader's first first face-to-face meeting with Hipkins, who became New Zealand's 41st Prime Minister in January.

Qian visited the Island Kingdom and met with PM Sovaleni at the St George Government Building last week.

Hu’akavameiliku said, “Tonga continues to appreciate the contribution China has offered for the achievement of Tonga’s national development goals through various grant aids that have either been completed or still under construction.”

Qian who was previously China’s Ambassador to Fiji was appointed Special Envoy in February this year.

Hu'akavameiliku noted his concerns when he met with New Zealand's Education Minister Jan Tinetti at the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (PEM) held in Auckland last week.

This is not the first time the issue has been brought up by the Tongan leader.

Earlier this year, he told media that he has reservations around tertiary fees with the New Zealand high commissioner.

But now he has escalated the matter to the leaders' level.

Hu’akavameiliku is in Fiji to attend the Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders Retreat on Friday.

The Tonga PM posted on his official Twitter account and said “Happy to arrive in #Fiji safely and Honored to be received by Guard of Honor at #NadiAirport.”

He is accompanied by the Chief Secretary, Paula Ma’u     

Hua'kavameiliku arrived in Christchurch on Wednesday and travelled to Ashburton and Timaru in Canterbury where he received a warm welcome from the local Tongan community.

He paid a visit to Timaru Boys' High School where he attended as a senior student in 1988 and spoke at a special reception about his teenage years in the town.

"Thirty-four years ago in 1988, four young Tongan students, including me, entered Timaru Boys' High," he said.

While most of the Cabinet are chosen from elected members of parlliament, there is also one appointed Minister, a woman, Fekitamoeloa Katoa 'Utoikamanu, who becomes the new Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Tourism.

The Prime Minister holds four major portfolios, taking on the police and the armed forces as well as education.

There is only one noble in the Cabinet, Lord Tu'i'afitu, the new Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.