Sosefo Feʻaomoeata Vakata Explained

Sosefo Feʻaomoeata Vakata
Office:Minister for Public Enterprises
Term Start:2 February 2013
Term End:30 December 2014
Primeminister:Lord Tuʻivakano
Predecessor:Clive Edwards
Successor:Poasi Tei
Office2:Minister for Revenue
Term Start2:1 May 2012
Term End2:2 February 2013
Primeminister2:Lord Tuʻivakano
Predecessor2:Sunia Fili
Successor2:Sifa Tuʻutafaiva
Office3:Minister for Training, Employment, Youth and Sports
Primeminister3:Lord Tuʻivakano
Term Start3:4 January 2011
Term End3:1 May 2012
Predecessor3:Lord Tuʻivakano
Successor3:Lord Vaea
Office4:Minister of Internal Affairs
Primeminister4:ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
Term Start4:30 December 2014
Term End4:16 September 2016
Successor4:Penisimani Fifita
Constituency Mp5:Niua 17
Term Start5:25 November 2010
Term End5:16 November 2017
Predecessor5:Sione ʻIloa[1]
Successor5:Vatau Hui
Majority5:19.0%
Birth Date:1969 2, df=yes
Party:Independent

Sosefo Feʻaomoeata Vakata (born 13 February 1969) is a Tongan politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. He is a former member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.

He holds a Master of Science degree in Physics from the University of Queensland, and also has an IRB Level 2 Rugby Coaching Certificate; he lists coaching rugby as one of his hobbies.[2] He "taught at Tonga High School for many years", then worked as a civil servant, holding the positions of radio licensing officer and outer islands project manager, then communications engineer, at the Ministry of Information and Communications.[3]

Vakata was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the first time when he won the seat of Ongo Niua 17 in the November 2010 general election as a candidate for the Democratic Party, defeating incumbent independent MP Sione ʻIloa. On 8 December 2010 it was reported that he had withdrawn his support from the Democratic party and become an independent, and would support a noble candidate as Prime Minister.[4]

At the start of January 2011, when newly elected Prime Minister Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō formed his Cabinet, Vakata was appointed Minister for Training, Employment, Youth and Sports.[5] On 1 May 2012, he reshuffled to the position of Minister for Revenue.[6] [7]

In July 2012, Vakata was accused of mis-using government funds allocated to him for expenses during a trip to Australia which was later cancelled. He denied the allegations, but repaid the money.[8]

In February 2013, he was reshuffled to the position of Minister of Public Enterprises.[9]

Following the 2014 Tongan general election he was appointed to the Cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva as Minister of Internal Affairs, Women, and Sport. In September 2016 he was dismissed from his Ministerial positions after throwing a wine glass at a senior civil servant.[10]

He was not re-elected at the 2017 election.

Notes and References

  1. Niua 17 was technically a new constituency on that date, but corresponded exactly to the boundaries of the previous electoral constituency for the Niuas.
  2. http://www.parliament.gov.to/index.php/about-parliament/members/current-members/peoples-repsentatives/116-sosefo-feaomoeata-vakata Biography of Sosefo Vakata
  3. http://www.pmo.gov.to/appointments/new-ministers-/2010-hon-sosefo-feao-vakata-moteys-minister "Hon. Feʻao Vakata, Youth, Sports & Training Minister"
  4. Web site: Nobles now more likely to form next Tonga government . Radio New Zealand International . 2010-12-08 . 2010-12-09.
  5. http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/government/20110105_tonga_cabinet.shtml "First meeting of Tonga's new Cabinet"
  6. http://matangitonga.to/2012/04/20/four-cabinet-ministers-be-reshuffled-may-1 "Four Cabinet Ministers to be reshuffled on May 1"
  7. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=67504 "Tonga government names ministers"
  8. Web site: Tonga Cabinet Minister denies misuse of government funds, but repays money . Radio New Zealand International . 2012-07-25 . 2012-07-25.
  9. http://matangitonga.to/2013/02/04/sifa-tuutafaiva-new-minister-police-and-revenue "Sifa Tuʻutafaiva, new Minister of Police and Revenue"
  10. Web site: Tongan PM says minister's behaviour unacceptable . RNZ . 16 September 2016 . 20 June 2020.