Dr
Tevita Tu'i Uata
Minister of Trade and Economic Development
In office
4 January 2018 – 10 October 2019
Prime MinisterʻAkilisi Pōhiva
Preceded byPohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Succeeded bySamiu Vaipulu
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic Party of the Friendly Islands

Dr Tevita Tu'i Uata is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.[1] He is the son of former MP ‘Uliti Uata.[2]

Before entering politics uata was a democracy activist, ran a shipping company, and was president of the Tonga National Business Association.[3] In 2007, Uata was convicted alongside ʻAkilisi Pōhiva and Semisi Sika of leading a protest march in June 2006. He was fined 650 pa'anga.[4] In 2009 one of his vessels was first to reach the scene of the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika and he gave evidence that the ship was unfit to sail.[5] In 2010 he was charged with bribery after evidence was given in the inquiry into the sinking that he had offered port authority manager Lupeti Vi an envelope of cash for clearance for his vessels to dock.[2][6]

Uata ran unsuccessfully for the electorate of Tongatapu 8 in the 2014 Tongan general election, but was defeated by Semisi Fakahau.[7]

In October 2017 Uata was appointed as chair of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission. In that position, he attempted to muzzle two senior journalists who were critical of the DPFI government.[8][9] Following the DPFI landslide[10] in the 2017 Tongan general election he was appointed as Minister of Labour and Commerce by Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva as a Minister outside the Legislative Assembly.[11] The portfolio was later renamed to Trade and Economic Development. In August 2019 the Tonga Ma’a Tonga Newspaper alleged that one of his companies had been granted a significant tax writeoff by Cabinet.[12]

Following the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva and his replacement by Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa in October 2019 he was not reappointed to Tuʻiʻonetoa's new Cabinet.[13]

In April 2019 he was charged with refusing to obey a Port master's direction over the mooring of two vessels,[14] but was subsequently acquitted.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "More friction revealed among Tonga's PTOA members". RNZ. 25 April 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Special Report: Why the Ashika tragedy is shaking the Sevele Government to its core". Pacific Scoop. 2 April 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "Democracy on the boil". New Zealand Herald. 15 September 2006. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "NOTED TONGA LAWMAKER FINED $196 FOR URGING PROTEST". Pacific Islands Report. 8 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  5. ↑ "Tonga ferry captain says he was pressured to sail". Hartford Courant. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "Tu'i Uata charged with bribery". Matangi Tonga. 3 March 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  7. ↑ "9 nobles vs 9 Democrats: 8 Independents decide which party to form government". Kaniva Pacific. 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  8. ↑ "Matangi Tonga condemns state for 'annihilating' public broadcasting". Pacific Media Watch. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "TONGA: RSF condemns 'gag' of state broadcaster ahead of general election". Pacific Media Centre. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "Landslide victory for Democrats in Tongan election". New Zealand Herald. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  11. ↑ "Prime Minister Pōhiva submits his cabinet lineup to the Tongan king". Asia-Pacific Report. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  12. ↑ "Dr. Tu'i Uata denies report by Tonga Ma'a Tonga News Paper that cabinet wrote off its TOP$900,000 tax liability". Tonga Broadcasting Corporation. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  13. ↑ ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  14. ↑ "Trade Minister charged over refusing to obey mooring of vessels". Matangi Tonga. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "Tu'i Uata acquitted by Magistrate". Matangi Tonga. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.


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