Siaosi Sovaleni

Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni is a Tongan politician, Cabinet Minister, and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. From 2014 to 2017 he was Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga.

Siaosi Sovaleni
Siaosi Sovaleni in 2017
Minister for Education & Training
Assumed office
10 October 2019
Prime MinisterPohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Preceded byPenisimani Fifita
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
30 December 2014 – 6 September 2017
Prime MinisterʻAkilisi Pōhiva
Preceded bySamiu Vaipulu
Succeeded byLord Maʻafu
Minister for Environment and Communication
In office
30 December 2014 – 6 September 2017
Preceded byLord Maʻafu
Succeeded byPoasi Tei
Member of Parliament
for Tongatapu 3
Assumed office
27 November 2014
Preceded bySitiveni Halapua

Sovaleni is from Ngele'ia on Tongatapu. He was educated at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in computer science in 1992.[1] He subsequently completed a Masters degree at the University of Oxford, and an MBA at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji.[1] He worked as a public servant for Tonga's Ministry of Finance from 1996 to 2010, beforeworking for the Pacific Community and Asian Development Bank. He returned to Tonga in 2013 to work as the Chief Executive in the Ministry of Public Enterprises.[1]

Sovaleni was first elected to Parliament at the 2014 Tongan general election, and appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Communications in the Cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.[2] As Communications Minister, he pushed through two bills allowing for internet censorship in 2015.[3]

In September 2017 he was sacked for disloyalty for supporting King Tupou VI's decision to sack the Prime Minister, dissolve Parliament and call new elections.[4][5][6] He ran in the 2017 Tongan general election and was re-elected as the only non-DPFI MP on Tongatapu.[7] He subsequently contested the Premiership with Pohiva, but was defeated by 12 votes to 14.[8]

Following the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva Sovaleni supported Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa for Prime Minister. He was appointed to Tuʻiʻonetoa's Cabinet as Minister for Education and Training.[9]

References
  1. "PROFILE: Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni". MIC. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  2. "Tonga leader names one noble in Cabinet". RNZ. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  3. "TONGA: Parliament hastily passes 2 bills to control internet access". Pacific Media watch. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  4. "Lord Ma'afu Named Tonga Acting Prime Minister". Pacific Islands Report. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  5. "Tonga's Sovaleni flummoxed about sacking". RNZ. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  6. "Tonga's caretaker PM Pōhiva sacks deputy and Finance Minister". Asia-Pacific Report. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  7. "TONGA: Democratic landslide delivers numbers for Pōhiva government". Pacific Media Watch. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  8. "Pohiva retains Tonga prime ministership". RNZ. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  9. ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
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