Tupou VI

Tupou VI (full name: ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho; born 12 July 1959) is the King of Tonga. He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Tongan throne, as his brother (a bachelor) had no legitimate children. He also served as Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia, and resided in Canberra until the death of King George Tupou V on 18 March 2012, when ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho became King of Tonga, with the regnal name Tupou VI.

Life

He was born the third son and youngest child of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. He started his career in the military, joining the naval arm of the Tonga Defence Services in 1982 and becoming a Lieutenant-Commander in 1987. From 1990 to 1995 he commanded the Pacific-class patrol boat VOEA Pangai and his time in charge included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville.

In 1998 he ended his military career to become part of the government, first as the defence minister and the foreign minister at the same time, from October 1998 until August 2004. He took over these posts from his elder brother Siaosi Tupou V, at that time still the crown prince and as such known as Tupoutoʻa (see below). Soon he was appointed as Prime Minister on 3 January 2000, a function he kept until his sudden resignation on 11 February 2006, for which the reason has never become clear, but was most likely due to the unrest in the country since mid-2005, a series of pro-democracy protests calling for a lesser role for the royal family in government. His appointed successor, Feleti Sevele, was Tonga's first prime minister who was not a hereditary estate holder or a member of the aristocracy (made of 33 noble titles).

ʻAhoʻeitu is married to a daughter of the high chief Vaea, Nanasipauʻu and the couple has 3 children:

    * ʻAngelika Lātūfuipeka Halaʻevalu Mataʻaho Napuaʻokalani Tukuʻaho

    * Siaosi Manumataongo ʻAlaivahamamaʻo ʻAhoʻeitu Konstantin Tukuʻaho

    * Viliami ʻUnuaki-ʻo-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-Mo-e-ʻEiki Tukuʻaho

In January 2012, Prince Siaosi, known as Prince ‘Ulukalala, announced his engagement to the Sinaitakala Fakafanua.

Name and Titles

It is customary in Tongan culture that princes get a traditional chiefly title, by which they then are commonly known (and no longer by their baptised name). As such for many years, until his confirmation as heir presumptive, ʻAhoʻeitu was known by either one or all three of the titles which were bestowed on him over the time: Lavaka from Pea, Ata from Kolovai and ʻAtatā, and ʻUlukālala from Vavaʻu. These titles may be used in any order, (the one belonging to the area from which the speaker is coming usually first). Nevertheless the sequences Lavaka Ata ʻUlukālala and ʻUlukālala Lavaka Ata were most common.

Since his confirmation as heir presumptive, he got the traditional title of Tupoutoʻa, reserved for crown princes, which his older brother (the second) had to give up because he married a commoner, while two of his previous titles went to his sons. As such he is currently known as Tupoutoʻa Lavaka. His oldest son, Siaosi, is to be addressed by the prestigious title of ʻUlukālala, while his second son, Viliami, was bestowed with Ata.

From : www.wikipedia.org

King who steered Tonga towards democracy dies aged 63

The king of Tonga, George Tupou V, who was credited with introducing democracy to the South Pacific archipelago after riots following his ascension in 2006, died in a Hong Kong hospital on Sunday.

His younger brother, Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka, who is heir to the throne, was with him when he died at the age of 63.

Tongan radio read a government statement announcing his death. The prime minister, Lord Siale'ataonga Tu'ivakano, declared that the royal family and entire nation was in mourning, ending his address with a Tongan expression meaning "The sun has set".

On ascending the throne after the death of his father, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, the Oxford-educated king said he would relinquish most of his power in the last Polynesian monarchy and be guided by his prime minister's recommendations on most matters.

The first direct elections were held in November 2010 after 165 years of feudal rule.

Tongan media reports say the king underwent a liver transplant last year and had also been diagnosed with cancer.

The king was known to the outside world for eccentricities such as being driven around in a London taxi, and will be remembered by many for his throwback fashion choices, which included wearing, at times, a top hat and even a monocle.

New Zealand's prime minister, John Key, released a statement saying that his thoughts were with the people of Tonga.

"I would like to acknowledge the very valuable contribution the king has made in steering Tonga towards democracy and hope this work will continue," Key said. "He believed that the monarchy was an instrument of change and can truly be seen as the architect of evolving democracy in Tonga. This will be his enduring legacy."

Tonga, which comprises 170 islands, has a population of 106,000 and lies south of Samoa, about 1,320 miles northeast of New Zealand.

From : The Guardian

Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō

Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho, better known as Lord Tuʻivakanō, is a Tongan politician who has been Prime Minister of Tonga since 2010.

Descent and Naming

Siaosi Kiu Ngalumoetutulu Kaho and his wife Fatafehi-ʻo-Lapaha Liku in 1952 baptised their second child and oldest son as Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho. When his father died in January 1986, Siale ʻAtaongo succeeded him to the traditional Tongan noble title of Tuʻivakanō (literally: king of the borrowed boat). As customary in Tonga, since that time his baptismal name is no longer used, instead he is referred to as Tuʻivakanō (without any further qualification), or in more formal surroundings as ʻEiki nōpele Tuʻivakanō, nowadays translated in English as Lord (noble) Tuʻivakanō or Honourable lord Tuʻivakanō. Writing his name as Siale ʻAtaongo Tuʻivakanō may be done overseas, but is not the standard in Tonga. To distinguish him from previous holders of the title, his original name can be added in parenthesis after his title.

Tuʻivakanō (Siale ʻAtaongo) is the grandson of a former speaker of the Tongan Legislative Assembly, Siosiua Niutupuʻivaha Kaho, who was the younger brother of Tēvita Polutele Kaho, (who also was a Tuʻivakanō, and better known as TP Tuʻivakano), the prime minister just one century ago.

Background

Tuʻivakanō enjoyed a privileged education in Tonga, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, attending the Three Kings School of Epsom, in 1963. Tuʻivakanō's qualifications include a Teaching Diploma obtained in 1974 from Armore's Teaching College New Zealand. In 1991 he received a Bachelor Degree with Honours in Political Science after three years of study at the Flinders University of South Australia.

Returning to Tonga following his study in New Zealand, Tuʻivakanō worked in teaching at the Tonga High School and trained in youth development in Malaysia and Singapore in 1980. Tuʻivakanō gained further experience in the Tongan education system appointed as Education Officer within the Ministry of Education in 1982. Between 1992 and 1996 Tu'ivakano became Senior Education Officer for Youth, Sport and Culture. During this period Tu'ivakano was involved with various Tongan Sporting organisations holding president roles with the Tonga National Rugby League, Tonga Sumo Association, Tonga National Taekwando Association and Vice presidency of the Tongan National Olympic Committee.

From : www.wikipedia.org

Tonga

A group of more than 170 islands spread over an area of the South Pacific roughly the size of Japan, Tonga is the last Polynesian monarchy.

A deeply conservative, Christian country, it is ruled by a king supported by hereditary noblemen who together have a perpetual majority in parliament, electing or appointing 21 of its 30 members, but moves are afoot to democratise the constitution.

A former British protectorate, Tonga became fully independent in 1970, though it was never formally colonised.

Overview

Tonga has no strategic or mineral resources and relies on agriculture, fishing and the money sent home by Tongans living abroad, many of them in New Zealand. Unemployment is high, particularly among the young.

Endowed with tropical beaches, rainforest and active volcanoes, it has a developing tourist industry - its main source of hard currency.

Almost all Tongans are Polynesian and its population has remained largely untouched by immigration. This has made it ideal for genetic research into the causes of common diseases.

Although Tonga has a highly traditional society, calls by young, Western-educated Tongans for a more democratic constitution have become increasingly hard to ignore.

In November 2009, a constitutional review panel recommended a ceremonial monarchy stripped of most of its real political power and a fully-elected parliament in place of the current, largely hereditary body. The king had previously indicated he was wholeheartedly committed to democratic reform.

A first tentative step towards reform was taken in early 2005 when elected MPs were appointed to the cabinet - previously handpicked from outside parliament - for the first time.

But demand for change became stronger. A public sector strike in 2005, marked by major street demonstrations, expanded into a campaign for political reform. In November 2006, riots erupted in the capital, in which eight people were killed.

Facts

    * Full name: Kingdom of Tonga

    * Population: 104,300 (UN, 2010)

    * Capital: Nuku'alofa

    * Area: 748 sq km (289 sq miles)

    * Major languages: Tongan, English

    * Major religion: Christianity

    * Life expectancy: 70 years (men), 75 years (women) (UN)

    * Monetary unit: 1 pa'anga = 100 seniti

    * Main exports: Fish, pumpkins, coconut products, vanilla beans

    * GNI per capita: US $3,390 (World Bank, 2010)

    * Internet domain: .to

    * International dialling code: +676

Leaders

Head of state: King George Tupou V

King George Tupou V was sworn in during a brief ceremony in September 2006, succeeding his father King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV when he died after a long illness. The new king's coronation took place in August 2008.

King Tupou says he is committed to economic development and democratic reform.

Following the pro-democracy riots in November 2006, the government agreed to hold elections in 2010 in which a majority of the parliament would be directly elected by a popular vote.

On the eve of the vote - in November 2010 - the king said the world had undergone many changes since since the 170-island archipelago was united under a monarchy in 1845.

"It is an opportune time, therefore, to change the way we are ruled,'' he said. ''I shall grant my executive powers to the cabinet and the parliament and in future the sovereign shall act only on the advice of his prime minister."

Tupou V owns some of Tonga's biggest businesses, including the island's only power company, a brewery and a mobile phone company. The palace says the king has started to divest himself of his commercial interests.

The King was educated in New Zealand, Switzerland and Britain. A bachelor with no legitimate children, he has named his younger brother as heir apparent. He is known for his liking for wearing military uniforms and for driving around in a London taxi.

Prime minister: Lord Tu'ivakano

Lord Tu'ivakano became the country's first prime minister to be elected by parliament rather than appointed by the king in December 2010.

Tu'ivakano, a former speaker of Parliament, won 14 votes - two more than pro-democracy leader Akalisi Pohiva - in the ballot among the 26 members of the Tongan house of representatives.

Tu'ivakano, the minister for education and training in the former government, replaced Feleti Seveli.

Under Tonga's new constitution, voters directly elected 17 seats in parliament, while nine spots were reserved for nobles, including Tu'ivakano.

Previously, the tiny Pacific kingdom was run by a parliament dominated by a clique of nobles selected by the king, who also chose the prime minister and cabinet.

The swing towards democracy followed riots in the capital Nuku'alofa in 2006, which claimed eight lives and destroyed much of the business centre as people protested against the slow pace of political reform.

From : BBC News