Viliami Latu

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The Honourable
Viliami Uasike Latu
‘Etuate Lavulavu
Personal details
Political party
ʻAtenisi University (BA)
University of Auckland (MA)
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
(PhD)

Dr. Viliami Uasike Latu is a Tongan politician and Cabinet Minister.

After completing secondary education at

Ph.D. in Asia Pacific Studies at the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in 2006.[1]

Returning to Tonga, he served as principal assistant secretary to the Prime Minister's Officer in 2006 and 2007, then (briefly) as assistant to the chief executive officer and public relations officer at the Ministry of Education in 2008. In May of that year, he was appointed clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.[1]

He stood unsuccessfully as an

Cabinet as Minister for Police, Prisons and Fire Services.[4] The appointment was controversial as Latu had previously been charged with assaulting his wife.[5] In August 2011 he attracted further controversy by refusing to renew the contract of police commissioner Chris Kelley, effectively firing him, and appointing himself as acting police commissioner.[6][7]

On September 1, 2011, he was reshuffled to the Ministry for Tourism.[8] He lost his seat in the November 2014 general election. He stood again at the 2016 Vavaʻu 16 by-election[9] and in the 2017 election but was unsuccessful.

He was re-elected to the seat of Vavaʻu 16 in the 2021 election.[10] On 28 December 2021 he was appointed to the Cabinet of Siaosi Sovaleni as Minister of Trade and Economic Development.[11]

On 28 March 2024 he was appointed Minister of Tourism, following the resignation of Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b "Hon. Dr. Viliami Uasike Latu". Parliament of Tonga. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011.
  2. ^ "KINGDOM OF TONGA LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS OF 24 APRIL 2008". Adam Carr. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. ^ "KINGDOM OF TONGA LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS OF 25 NOVEMBER 2010". Adam Carr. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  4. ^ "TONGA PRIME MINISTER NAMES CABINET". Pacific Islands Report. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Tonga women's group wary of new police minister choice". RNZ. 6 January 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  6. ^ "TONGA POLICE MINISTER NAMES SELF AS TOP COP". Pacific Islands Report. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  7. ^ "A spokesperson for Tonga's King says the removal of the police comissioner[sic] is illegal". RNZ. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  8. ^ "PUBLIC UNAWARE OF TONGA'S GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE". Pacific Islands Report. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Sole woman MP elected in Tonga". RNZ. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Tonga elects all-male parliament with nine new People's Reps". Matangi Tonga. 18 November 2021. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  11. ^ "PM names new government". Matangi Tonga. 29 December 2021. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  12. ^ "PM announces resignation of two Cabinet ministers". Matangi Tonga. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
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