The Tongan Ombudsman is a constitutional officer in Tonga tasked with investigating maladministration. Established as the Commissioner for Public Relations Act in 2001, the office was renamed to Ombudsman in 2016, and given constitutional status in 2021.
The Ombudsman is appointed by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga with the consent of the Legislative Assembly for a term of 5 years. [1] The current acting Ombudsman is ʻAlisi Afeaki Taumoepeau. [2]
In 1998 the Tongan government established the Interim Government Committee on Public Complaints inside the Ministry of Justice to "promote quality service delivery, good administration (fair and responsive), accountability and good governance within government". [3] This was followed in 2001 by legislation establishing a Commissioner for Public Relations. [4] The Commissioner was appointed by the King of Tonga [5] for a term of five years, [6] and had the function of investigating any act, decision, recommendation, or omission relating to a matter of administration by specified government agencies. [7] Where the government's actions were unlawful, unreasonable, unjust, oppressive, or wrong, the Commissioner could make recommendations to the agency, and could report them to the Prime Minister and Privy Council of Tonga. [8]
Siaosi Taimani ʻAho was appointed as the first Commissioner. [3] On his retirement in 2004, he recommended that the office be given greater powers to compel government agencies to release information. [9] The position was then filled by a number of short-term appointments. When Penisimani Tavalu Fonua retired in November 2006, the position was left vacant until ʻAisea Taumoepeau was appointed in 2014. [3]
Legislation in 2016 renamed the position to that of Ombudsman, [10] shifted the power of appointment to the Speaker and Legislative Assembly, and expanded the list of government agencies that fell within the Ombudsman's jurisdiction. [11] [12] [13] Further legislation passed in 2018 and assented in 2021 added the office to the Constitution of Tonga. [14] [3]
Tupou VI is the current King of Tonga.
George Tupou II was the King of Tonga from 18 February 1893 until his death. He was officially crowned at Nukuʻalofa, on 17 March 1893. He was also the 20th Tuʻi Kanokupolu.
Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi Taumopeau Tupou, Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou of Toula and Kotu was a diplomat from the Kingdom of Tonga. Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou had been the foreign minister of Tonga since 24 August 2004, though his appointment was not announced until 2 September 2004. He had also been Minister of Defense since April 2005 till his death.
The prime minister of Tonga is the head of government of Tonga. Tonga is a monarchy with the king, currently Tupou VI, former prime minister, as head of state. The current prime minister is Siaosi Sovaleni, who was elected on 15 December 2021 and appointed on 27 December 2021. Sovaleni was elected with 16 votes.
Siaosi ʻAlipate Halakilangi Tau’alupeoko Vaea Tupou, more commonly known as Baron Vaea of Houma, was a Tongan politician who served as Prime Minister of Tonga. Vaea was a nephew of Queen Sālote, who ruled Tonga from 1918 until 1965, and a member of the Tongan nobility. His career in the Tongan government spanned 54 years.
The 2006 Nukuʻalofa riots, also known as the 2006 Tongan riots, started on 16 November, in the Tongan capital of Nukuʻalofa. The Legislative Assembly of Tonga was due to adjourn for the year and despite promises of action, had done little to advance democracy in the government. A mixed crowd of democracy advocates took to the streets in protest. The riots saw a number of cases of robbery, looting, vehicle theft, arson, and various property damage.
Tonga High School is a selective state-owned co-ed secondary school located in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga. The school educates students aged 11 to 18.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tonga:
John Cauchi is an Australian lawyer who served as the Attorney General of Tonga from 2009 to 2010.
The Attorney General of Tonga is Tonga's chief law officer, responsible for supervising Tongan law and advising the government on legal matters. Originally a Cabinet position held jointly with the portfolio of Minister of Justice, the office was made independent in 2009. The current Attorney General is Linda Folaumoetu'i.
Sunia Manu Fili is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a former member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.
Sione Sangster Saulala is a Tongan politician, broadcaster, and Cabinet Minister. He was a member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands early in his political career.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Tonga face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Male homosexuality is illegal in Tonga, with a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, but the law is not enforced.
Women's rights in Tonga, as compared to the United Nations goals of CEDAW, fail to comply entirely with the conventions requirements. Although considerations have been made by the Tongan parliament and government, ratification of CEDAW still remains unresolved. Factors determining the non-ratification of CEDAW are related to cultural protectionism of the Anga Fakatonga or "the Tongan way" of Tongan culture. Issues of Women's rights in Tonga include factors of women's land right, violence against women, political participation in parliament, and general cultural attitude towards the gender inequalities within Tonga. Many of the issues of gender inequalities within the Tongan culture are reinforced in the home and complex structures of the cultural family hierarchy.
Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho is Queen of Tonga as the wife of King Tupou VI.
Tonga competed at the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from 4 to 18 July 2015. Tonga listed 236 competitors as of 4 July 2015. One competitor was qualified for two sports.
ʻAlisi Afeaki Taumoepeau is a Tongan politician. She became the first woman to hold a Cabinet post in Tonga when she was named Attorney general and Minister of Justice in 2006.
Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni, styled Hon. Hu'akavameiliku, is a Tongan politician who has been serving as the Prime Minister of Tonga since 2021. He has previously served as a Cabinet Minister, and from 2014 to 2017, he was Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga. He is the current estate holder of the village of Ha'asini.
General elections were held in Tonga on 18 November 2021 to elect 17 of the 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
Siaosi Taimani ʻAho was a Tongan diplomat, civil servant, politician, and Cabinet minister. He was Tonga's first Commissioner for Public Relations.