Honours
- National honours
-
Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III,Grand Cross (31 July 2008). [4]
Tevita Hala Palefau | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Education, Women's Affairs and Culture | |
| In office 25 January 2005 –2010 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Bloomfield |
| Succeeded by | ʻAna Taufeʻulungaki |
Tevita Hala Palefau (born ~1958) [1] is a former Tongan politician and Cabinet Minister.
Palefu began his career as a teacher at Mailefihi Siu'ilikutapu College in Vava'u in 1979. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of the South Pacific in Fiji in 1985,and completed a Masters of Science at the University of Technology in Perth,Australia in 1993. [1] He later completed a PhD at the University of Toronto in Canada. [2] From 1996 to 1997 he was principal of Taufa'ahau Pilolevu College in Ha'apai,and he was principal of Tupou College from 1997 to 20000. [2] In 1998 he was ordained as a Methodist Minister.
On January 25 2005 he was appointed Minister for Education,Women's Affairs and Culture. [1] [2]
He contested the seat of Vava'u 16 in the 2010 election but was unsuccessful. He subsequently worked as Vice President of Education at the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. [3]
Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III,Grand Cross (31 July 2008). [4] 
Tonga,officially the Kingdom of Tonga,is an island country in Polynesia,part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands –of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2 (290 sq mi),scattered over 700,000 km2 (270,000 sq mi) in the southern Pacific Ocean. As of 2021,according to Johnson's Tribune,Tonga has a population of 104,494,70% of whom reside on the main island,Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately 800 km (500 mi) north-south. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the northwest,Samoa to the northeast,New Caledonia (France) and Vanuatu to the west,Niue to the east,and Kermadec to the southwest. Tonga is about 1,800 km (1,100 mi) from New Zealand's North Island. Tonga is a member of The Commonwealth.
The history of Tonga is recorded since the ninth century BC,when seafarers associated with the Lapita diaspora first settled the islands which now make up the Kingdom of Tonga. Along with Fiji and Samoa,the area served as a gateway into the rest of the Pacific region known as Polynesia. Ancient Tongan mythologies recorded by early European explorers report the islands of 'Ata and Tongatapu as the first islands having been hauled to the surface from the deep ocean by Maui.
Tupou VI is 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 Throne of Tonga,as his brother had no legitimate children. He served as Prime Minister of Tonga from 2000 to 2006 and as Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia,and resided in Canberra from 2008 until the death of King George Tupou V on 18 March 2012,when he became King of Tonga,with the regnal name Tupou VI.
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.
Vavaʻu is an island group,consisting of one large island and 40 smaller ones,in Tonga. It is part of Vavaʻu District,which includes several other individual islands. According to tradition,the Maui god created both Tongatapu and Vavaʻu,but put a little more effort into the former. Vavaʻu rises 204 m (669 ft) above sea level at Mount Talau. The capital is Neiafu,situated at the Port of Refuge.
Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele,Lord Sevele of Vailahi is a Tongan politician who served as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.
Early general elections under a new electoral law were held in Tonga on 25 November 2010. They determined the composition of the 2010 Tongan Legislative Assembly.
Prince Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake was the youngest son of Queen Sālote Tupou III of Tonga. He was the prime minister of Tonga from 1965 to 1991,a record term of over 25 years,serving under his brother King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV.
Lord Luani,born Sione Laumanuʻuli Luani,was a Tongan nobleman,Member of Parliament,and the Governor of Vavaʻu.
William Clive Edwards OBE is a Tongan barrister and politician who formerly served as a Cabinet Minister and acting Deputy Prime Minister. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party.
Samiu Kuita Vaipulu is a Tongan politician and Cabinet Minister. He was the Deputy Prime Minister from 2010 to 2014 and is currently Minister for Trade and Economic Development.
Viliami Ta’u Tangi,styled Lord Tangi of Vaonukonuka,is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He has previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health.
ʻEtuate Lavulavu is a Tongan politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga for Vavaʻu. He was stripped of his seat in 2016 after being convicted of bribery,precipitating the 2016 Vavaʻu 16 by-election. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University–Hawaii followed by a Master of Arts from Brigham Young University in Utah. He publicly claimed to have a PhD from the University of Edenvale,a US diploma mill,and began referring to himself as "Professor".
Siosa'ia Ma'ulupekotofa Tuita is a Tongan royal and diplomat. He is the current Chief Tuita,Lord Tuita.
Siale ʻAtaongo Kaho,Lord Tuʻivakanō is a Tongan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2010 to 2014.
Dr. Viliami Uasike Latu is a Tongan politician and Cabinet Minister.
Tonga Tuʻiʻafitu,styled Lord Tuʻiʻafitu is a Tongan noble,clergyman,politician and Cabinet Minister.
Tēvita ʻUnga was the first Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Tonga.
India–Tonga relations are the international relations that exist between India and Tonga. The High Commission of India in Suva,Fiji is concurrently accredited to Tonga.
Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni styled Hon. Hu'akavameiliku is a Tongan politician who has served 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.