Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa

Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa (30 June 1951 – 18 March 2023) was a Tongan accountant and politician who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Tonga from 2019 to 2021.^[1] Tu'i'onetoa succeeded Semisi Sika, who had served as acting prime minister, since the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.^[2]

The Honourable Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Tu’i’onetoa in 2020
17th Prime Minister of Tonga
In office 8 October 2019 – 27 December 2021
Monarch	Tupou VI
Deputy	Semisi Sika Sione Vuna Fa'otusia Lord Maʻafu
Preceded by	Semisi Sika (acting)
Succeeded by	Siaosi Sovaleni
Leader of the Tonga People's Party
In office 20 September 2019 – 18 March 2023
Preceded by	Party established
Other offices held Minister for Public Enterprises In office 10 October 2019 – 28 December 2021 Prime Minister Himself Succeeded by Poasi Tei Minister of Finance In office 4 January 2018 – 10 October 2019 Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva Preceded by Tevita Lavemaau Succeeded by Tevita Lavemaau Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industries In office 30 December 2014 – 4 January 2018 Succeeded by Tevita Tu'i Uata Minister for Revenue and Customs In office 6 March 2017 – September 2017 Preceded by Tevita Lavemaau Succeeded by Mateni Tapueluelu Minister for Police, Prisons and Fire Services In office 30 December 2014 – 6 March 2017 Succeeded by Mateni Tapueluelu
Member of the Tongan Parliament for Tongatapu 10
In office 27 November 2014 – 18 March 2023
Preceded by	Semisi Tapueluelu
Succeeded by	Kapelieli Militoni Lanumata
Personal details
Born	(1951-06-30)30 June 1951 Talafo’ou, Tonga
Died	18 March 2023(2023-03-18) (aged 71) United States
Political party	Tonga People's Party
Spouse	Hena Tuʻiʻonetoa
Alma mater	Monash University Institute of Certified Management Accountants

Early life and education

Born in Talafo’ou on 30 June 1951,^[3] Tu’i’onetoa graduated from Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand in 1982, and then the Monash University in 1993. He had a diploma in financial management and a master of business degree. He was also a certified management accountant.^[4]

Career

Tu’i’onetoa joined the Tonga Civil Service in January 1979. He was the Official Liquidator of the Commercial Division of the Department of Justice in Hamilton, New Zealand. Between 1983 and 2014 he served as Tonga's Auditor. He was a Private Secretary to King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV from 1987–1988, and also clerk to the Privy Council during the same period. He ran unsuccessfully for parliament in the 2010 Tongan general election.

In the 2014 general election, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga to represent the constituency of Tongatapu 10. In the government of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, he was Minister of Labor, Commerce and Industries, and Minister of Police, Prisons and Fire Services.^[5] In March 2017 he was appointed Minister of Revenue and Customs,^[6] replacing Tevita Lavemaau. He held that position until January 2018, when he was appointed Minister of Finance and National Planning.^[7]

Prime Minister of Tonga (2019–2021)

On 27 September 2019, Tu’i’onetoa was elected prime minister by fifteen votes against eight for Semisi Sika, who served as acting prime minister.^[8] It was officially announced by King Tupou VI on 9 October 2019.^[8] He announced his Cabinet appointments on 10 October.^[9]

On 12 January 2021, Tu'i'onetoa survived a confidence vote in Parliament, by 13 votes to 9.^[10]

Tuʻiʻonetoa was re-elected to parliament in the 2021 election,^[11] and announced his candidacy for re-election as Prime Minister,^[12][13] but later withdrew as a contender to back ʻAisake Eke.^[14][15] He was succeeded as Prime Minister by Siaosi Sovaleni.^[16][17]

On 29 April 2022, the Supreme Court of Tonga declared his election void after finding he had bribed a women's group by offering them 50,000 Pa'anga.^[18][19] The conviction was stayed pending appeal on 26 May 2022.^[20] On 9 June 2022 he was again found to have committed bribery in a second election petition.^[21][22] On 9 August 2022 the Court of Appeal overturned both petitions.^[23][24]

Personal life and death

Tuʻiʻonetoa died on 18 March 2023 in the United States, at the age of 71 while visiting the country for medical reasons.^[25][26][27]

Honours

National honours;

•   Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Commander (31 July 2008).^[28]

References

1. "Tonga MPs choose Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa as Prime Minister". TVNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
2. "Tonga's caretaker PM Pōhiva sacks deputy and Finance Minister". Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
3. "Dr. Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa". www.parliament.gov.to. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
4. ""The Appointment of Hon. Dr. Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa as the New Prime Minister of Tonga"". Retrieved 27 October 2019.
5. "Tonga leader names one noble in Cabinet". RNZ. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
6. "Tonga Finance Minister resigns". RNZ. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
7. "Biography". Retrieved 27 October 2019.
8. "Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa as new PM". Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tu‘i‘onetoa as new PM. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
9. ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
10. "Tonga's PM survives motion of no confidence". RNZ. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
11. "Tonga elects all-male parliament with nine new People's Reps". Matangi Tonga. 18 November 2021. from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
12. "Tonga: Three contenders for prime minister's job". RNZ. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
13. "ANALYSIS: Tonga in search for viable, credible PM; the best of best has yet to come". Kaniva Tonga. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
14. "First photo emerges as Sovaleni gets support of 11 MPs; Tu'i'onetoa allegedly withdraws from premiership race". Kaniva Tonga. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
15. "Unsuccessful premiership contender Tu'i'onetoa expresses bitterness at being abandoned; continues falsely attacking Democrats". Kaniva Tonga. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
16. "Emotional, Siaosi Sovaleni elected PM Designate". Matangi Tonga. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
17. . Matangi Tonga. 28 December 2021. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
18. "Disgraced former PM Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa loses seat through electoral petition: reports". Kaniva Tonga. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
19. Philip Cass (1 May 2022). "If I had wanted to buy votes I would have made sure they got the money, former PM tells court, but judge says bribery occurred, voids election". Kaniva Tonga. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
20. "Convicted Tongan MPs given stay by appeals". RNZ. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
21. Kalino Latu (9 June 2022). "Former PM "oblivious" to providing evidence of bribery says judge as he confirms second conviction". Kaniva Tonga. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
22. "Tonga's Tu'i'onetoa loses second electoral petition". RNZ. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
23. "Tonga court dismisses three Cabinet Ministers' electoral fraud appeals; upholds former PM's appeal". Kaniva Tonga. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
24. Linny Folau (10 August 2022). "Former PM successful in appeals, others dismissed". Matangi Tonga. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
25. "Former Tonga PM Tu'ionetoa passes away". RNZ. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
26. "Disgraced former PM Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa dies in US while on medical leave". Kaniva Tonga. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
27. "Former PM, Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa dies in US". Matangi Tonga. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
28. . Matangi Tonga. 1 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.

Legislative Assembly of Tonga
Preceded by Semisi Tapueluelu	Member of Parliament for Tongatapu 10 2014–2023	Succeeded by Kapelieli Militoni Lanumata
Political offices
Preceded by Tevita Lavemaau	Minister for Revenue and Customs 2017	Succeeded by Mateni Tapueluelu
	Minister of Finance 2018–2019	Succeeded by Tevita Lavemaau
Preceded by Semisi Sika (Acting)	Prime Minister of Tonga 2019–2021	Succeeded by Siaosi Sovaleni
	Minister of Foreign Affairs 2019–2021	Succeeded by Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu
Party political offices
New political party	Leader of the Tonga People's Party 2019–2023	Vacant