Tonga’s PTOA Party (Democrats) lost both their rival leaders and majority votes in some strongholds with defeats to seven independent candidates among People’s Representatives in yesterday’s elections.

The PTOA Party was split in the lead up to the elections with the creation of two rival groups — the PTOA People’s Board led by Siaosi Pōhiva and PTOA Core Team led by Sēmisi Sika.

Last night they faced the reality that they had dug their own grave.

The voters have elected nine new People’s MPs and three new nobles to the all-male Parliament, according to provisional results announced by the Supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki.

PTOA top senior members, including Mateni Tapueluelu, PTOA People’s Board leader Pōhiva and Core Team leader Sika were all defeated.

People’s Board leader Siaosi was defeated by Tongatapu 1 new MP Tēvita Puloka.

Core Team leader Sēmisi Sika lost his Tongatapu 2 seat to Dr Pingi Fasi.

Tapueluelu loses seat
PTOA senior MP Māteni Tapueluelu lost his seat to incumbent Minister of Economy Tafafu Moeaki.

Tapueluelu and his PTOA rival candidate ‘Ilaiasi Lelei ‘Ufi received a combination result of 1457 votes from the PTOA voters, but because they shared that number it opened an opportunity for Moeaki to defeat them.

In Tongatapu 5, the PTOA voters gave a total of 1104 votes to the PTOA candidates, with 614 votes going to Losaline Ma’asi while her PTOA rival ‘Akanete Ta’ai got 490 votes. Dr ‘Aisake Eke won the seat by 958 votes.

In Tongatapu 7, the PTOA voters gave their candidates Sangstaer Saulala and Paula Piveni Piukala a total of 1420 votes. Sangstar won by 810 votes.

In Tongatapu 10, the PTOA rival candidates gained a total votes of 1554 while Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa received only 1303 votes.

However, Tu’i’onetoa won after the two PTOA rivals split their votes with Kapeli Lanumata receiving 1086 votes with Vika Kaufusi gaining only 468 votes.

Provisional election results:
People’s Representatives:
Tongatapu:
Tt1: Tevita Puloka (1695 votes)
Tt2: Dr Ping Fasi (962)
Tt3: Siaosi Sovaleni (2084)
Tt4: Tatafu Moeaki (1237)
Tt5: Dr ‘Aisake Eke (968)
Tt6: Poasi Tei (1771)
Tt7: Sangstar Saulala (810)
Tt8: Semisi Fakahau (1020)
Tt9: Seventeen Toumoua (828)
Tt10: Pōhiva Tuionetoa (1303)
‘Eua:
Eua11: Dr Taniela Fusimalohi (1072)
Ha’apai:
Hp12: Viliami Hingano (475)
Hp13: Veivosa Taka (731)
Vava’u:
Vv14: Saia Piukala (1010)
Vv15: Sāmiu Vaipulu (747)
Vv16: Dr Viliami Latu (1047)
Niuas:
Niua17 Vatau Hui 367 votes

Nobility election:
Tongatapu:
Lord Vaea (13 votes)
Lord Tu’ivakano (12)
Lord Fohe (10)
Vava’u:
Lord Tu’i’afitu (9)
Lord Tu’ilakepa (8)
Ha’apai:
Lord Tui’ha’angana (5)
Lord Fakafanua (4)
‘Eua:
Lord Nuku (11)
Niuas:
HSH Prince Kalaniuvalu, the Lord Fotofili (2)

Republished with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Tonga has new noble MPs and at least one returning MP among the people’s representatives, according to preliminary election results.

The polls have closed in the kingdom and counting is underway. However, results for the kingdom’s nobles was announced this afternoon by the Supervisor of Elections, Pita Vuki.

About 60,000 Tongan voters have been taking part in election.

They will be electing 17 People’s Representatives for the 26-member legislature.

The 33 noble families elected their nine representatives from within their own ranks.

Results for the nobles was announced this afternoon by the Supervisor of Elections, Pita Vuki.

For Tongatapu, the noble MPs are Lord Vaea, who makes a return to Parliament after being voted out in 2014, Lord Tu’ivakanō, who was prime minister in the first government after the reform and Lord Fohe who is a first time MP.

Vava’u seats retained
Vava’u has seen both noble MPs retain their seats Lord Tu’i’afitu and Lord Tu’ilakepa.

The same for Ha’apai, with Lord Fakafānua who was the speaker of the last Parliament, and Lord Tu’iha’angana both retaining their seats.

For ‘Eua, Lord Nuku is the elected noble representative and for the Niuas, the most northern islands, Prince Fotofili, who is himself a first time MP.

RNZ Pacific’s correspondent in Tonga, Kalafi Moala, said that having three new MPs among the nobles did not indicate much politically as two out of the three new seats were held by MPs that have been out of the country for medical reasons.

At the closing of the polls at 6pm local time, among the people’s representatives the only clear front runner was Siaosi Sovaleni, a possible candidate for the prime ministership who had registered an almost unassailable lead in Tongatapu 3.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By Kalino Latu in Auckland

King Tupou VI’s second son is the lawful successor to the hereditary noble title and estate of Ata, it has been announced in the kingdom of Tonga Gazette.

It said Viliami ‘Unuaki-‘o-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-mo e-‘Eiki Tuku’aho was entitled to the hereditary estate belonging “to the title to which he has succeeded together with the rents and profits thereof and all other rights and privileges attached to the title as from 25 September 2006”.

The King’s order comes after he sent former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakanō and some royal guards to intervene in a baptism ceremony that would have made Prince Ata a Mormon three years ago.

The prince drew back, but a year later he was baptised as a Mormon in Hawai‘i.

As Kaniva News reported at the time, an unconfirmed report said the King later warned Prince Ata he could have some of his princely privileges revoked if he was baptised into the Mormon church.

It is believed he was the first prince of Tonga to become a Mormon after his aunt, the late Princess ‘Elisiva Fusipala Vaha’i, became the first member of the royal family to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1980s.

-Partners-

The Tongan constitution does not say that successors’ rights to the throne will be affected by their religious beliefs.

The royal family are members of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.

It was unclear why the announcement was published on November 23, 2017 more than 11 years after the 29-year-old prince was appointed in 2006.

Prince Ata’s estates
Prince Ata is fourth in line to the throne. The noble title was previously held by his father.

In 2006, the palace office announced the late King George V had appointed him to the noble title Ata.

It said the appointment was to be effective from September 25, 2006.

Ata’s hereditary estates are Kolovai in Tongatapu and the island of ‘Atatā, 10 kilometres North-West of Nuku‘alofa.

As Kaniva News reported last year, Prince Ata had joined Mormon church leaders who held the first Sunday prayer service for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the island of ‘Atatā.

The service marked a milestone in the history of the Mormon church on the island.

In the past they have had to make a 30 minute crossing to Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga, to attend Sunday services and church meetings there.

The Gazette
The announcement by His Majesty’s Lord Privy Seal Tēvita Malolo is published verbatim below.

“In Exercise of the powers conferred by Section 38 of the Land Act, His Majesty King Tupou VI hereby Orders to be published in the Gazette that:

Viliami ‘Unuaki-‘o-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-mo e-‘Eiki Tuku’aho is the lawful successor to the hereditary noble title and estate of: ATA and shall possess and enjoy the hereditary estate appurtenant to the title to which he has succeeded together with the rents and profits thereof and all other rights and privileges attached to the title as from 25 September 2006.”

The Land Act
The relevant provision of the Land Act says:

“King to publish name of lawful successor (1) Upon the death of a holder of an hereditary estate or upon being convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for more than two years or upon his being certified as insane or imbecile by a medical officer,

His Land Act CAP. 46.02 Section 39 to 2016 Revised Edition Page 25 Majesty shall cause the name of the lawful successor to the title of such holder to be published in the Gazette together with the date of his succession thereto which shall be the day following that on which the death of the holder took place or on which the holder was convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for more than two years or was certified by a medical officer as insane or imbecile.

25 (2) On a convenient day not more than 6 months after the date of such publication, or, where the lawful successor is on such date a minor, 6 months after the day he attains the age of 21 years, His Majesty shall summon the person so named to appear before him in the Privy Council and there to take the oath of allegiance set out in Schedule VII. (3) The clerk of the Privy Council shall keep a roll of all persons holding hereditary estates.”

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz