ʻAkosita Lavulavu
ʻAkosita Havili Lavulavu MLA | |
---|---|
Minister for Infrastructure and Tourism | |
Assumed office 10 October 2019 | |
Prime Minister | Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa |
Preceded by | Semisi Sika |
Minister for Internal Affairs, Women, Culture, Youth and Sports | |
In office 18 January 2018 – 11 April 2018 | |
Prime Minister | ʻAkilisi Pōhiva |
Preceded by | ʻAkilisi Pōhiva |
Succeeded by | Losaline Ma'asi |
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga for | |
Assumed office 16 July 2016 | |
Preceded by | ʻEtuate Lavulavu |
Personal details | |
Born | 1985 Tonga |
Political party | |
Spouse(s) | ʻEtuate Lavulavu |
Alma mater | Brigham Young University–Hawaii University of the South Pacific |
ʻAkosita Havili Lavulavu (born 1985) is a Tongan politician and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga for .
Lavulavu is the wife of former MP ʻEtuate Lavulavu. She was educated at Tonga High School, with tertiary study at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, earning a Bachelor in Information System, and the University of the South Pacific, earning an MBA.[1]
Before entering politics, she was the director of the .[2] Following her husband's conviction for bribery in 2016[3] she stood in the resulting by-election and was elected, becoming the 5th female MP in Tonga's history.[2][4] She was re-elected at the 2017 general election,[5] after which she was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs and Sports.[6]
On 3 March 2018, Lavulavu and her husband were both arrested on fraud charges stemming from their management of the ʻUnuaki ʻo Tonga Royal Institute in 2016.[7] She was subsequently sacked from her Ministerial position.[8]
Following the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva Lavulavu supported Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa for Prime Minister, leaving the DPFI to join Tuʻiʻonetoa's new People's Party.[9] While still awaiting trial,[10] in October 2019 she was appointed Minister for Infrastructure and Tourism in the cabinet of Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa.[11] On 4 June 2021 she and her husband were convicted of 3 counts of obtaining money by false pretenses.[12][13] On 17 June, she took leave from her ministerial position until the case was resolved.[14] On 2 July 2021, she and her husband were sentenced to six years in prison by the Supreme Court of Tonga.[15][16]
References[]
- ^ "ʻAkosita Lavulavu sworn in as new MP". Legislative Assembly of Tonga. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Sole woman MP elected in Tonga". Radio New Zealand. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Tongan minister found guilty of bribery". Radio New Zealand International. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
- ^ Henry Ivarature (18 July 2016). "Tonga by-election yields 5th Female Member of Parliament in its history". IDEA. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Tongan Democrat landslide delivers numbers for Pohiva government". Asia Pacific Report. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Prime Minister Pōhiva submits his cabinet lineup to the Tongan king". Asia-Pacific Report. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Police arrest Minister of Internal Affairs and husband". Matangi Tonga. 3 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ "Tonga's Internal Affairs Minister fired". RNZ. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa as new PM". The World News. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ "Lavulavu forgery trial set for 2020". Matangi Tonga. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Lavulavu couple plundered education fund, used political connections to steal money, Judgment finds". Matangi Tonga. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "Tongan cabinet minister convicted of major fraud". RNZ. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "Convicted Cabinet Minister takes leave". Matnagi Tonga. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "Tongan MP and former MP sentenced to six years jail". RNZ. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Judge points to serious breach of trust in Lavulavu couple's criminal offending". Matangi Tonga. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga
- Tongan women in politics
- Women government ministers of Tonga
- Living people
- People from Vavaʻu
- Brigham Young University–Hawaii alumni
- Tongan Latter Day Saints
- University of the South Pacific alumni
- 21st-century women politicians
- 1985 births
- 20th-century Tongan women
- 21st-century Tongan women
- Female interior ministers
- Prisoners and detainees of Tonga
- Tongan prisoners and detainees
- Tongan politicians convicted of crimes