Tatafu Moeaki Explained

Tatafu Moeaki
Office2:Governor of National Reserve Bank of Tonga
Term Start2:20 December 2022
Predecessor2:Sione Ngongo Kioa
Office6:Minister of Finance
Primeminister6:Siaosi Sovaleni
Term Start6:28 December 2021
Term End6:10 August 2022
Predecessor6:Tevita Lavemaau
Successor6:Tiofilusi Tiueti
Office7:Minister for Revenue and Customs
Term Start7:28 December 2021
Term End7:10 August 2022
Predecessor7:Tevita Lavemaau
Office8:Minister for Trade and Economic Development
Primeminister8:Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Term Start8:25 January 2021
Term End8:28 December 2021
Predecessor8:Samiu Vaipulu
Successor8:Viliami Latu
Constituency Mp10:Tongatapu 4
Term Start10:18 November 2021
Term End10:10 August 2022
Predecessor10:Mateni Tapueluelu
Successor10:Mateni Tapueluelu

Tatafu Toma Moeaki (born 1972)[1] is a Tongan politician, former Cabinet Minister, and civil servant.

Moeaki joined the Tongan public service in 1995, working as head of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Education and as Deputy Secretary for Foreign Affairs. In 2011 he worked as chief executive of the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries.[2] In 2013 he was appointed chief executive of the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.[1] He resigned as chief executive in 2016 to take up a position for the Asian Development Bank.[3]

On 25 January 2021 he was appointed to Prime Minister Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa's Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Economic Development in the cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Sione Vuna Fa'otusia.[4] [5] After serving as a Minister he ran for the seat of Tongatapu 4 in the 2021 Tongan general election and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.[6] On 28 December 2021 he was appointed to the Cabinet of Siaosi Sovaleni as Minister of Finance and Minister of Revenue and Customs.[7] On 6 May 2022 his election was voided after the Supreme Court found him guilty on two counts of bribery in an election petition.[8] The conviction was stayed pending appeal on 26 May 2022.[9] On 9 August 2022 his appeal was dismissed, and his election confirmed as void.[10] [11] He was formally unseated by Parliament on 10 August.[12]

After being ousted from Parliament he was immediately hired as a project manager by the finance ministry.[13] On 20 December 2022 he was appointed Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga.[14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tatafu Moeaki new Finance CEO . Matangi Tonga . 14 October 2013 . 21 November 2021.
  2. Web site: Tonga keen to modernise business registry . RNZ . 7 March 2011 . 21 November 2021.
  3. Web site: Ministry of Finance CEO resigns . Matangi Tonga . 14 July 2016 . 21 November 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160715145859/http://matangitonga.to/2016/07/14/ministry-finances-ceo-resigns . 15 July 2016.
  4. Web site: King appoints new Minister for Trade and Economic Development; Ha‘apai has new governor . Kaniva Tonga . Kalino Latu . 25 January 2021 . 21 November 2021.
  5. Web site: King confirms key government appointments . Fangongo . 25 January 2021 . 21 November 2021.
  6. Web site: Tonga elects all-male parliament with nine new People's Reps . Matangi Tonga . 18 November 2021 . 18 November 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211118122442/https://matangitonga.to/2021/11/19/tonga-elects-all-male-parliament-nine-new-peoples-reps . 18 November 2021.
  7. Web site: PM names new government . Matangi Tonga . 29 December 2021 . 29 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211229094621/https://matangitonga.to/2021/12/29/pm-names-new-government . 29 December 2021.
  8. Web site: Another election result cancelled as Moeaki found guilty of bribery in Tongatapu 4 contest . Kaniva Tonga . 6 May 2022 . 13 May 2022.
  9. Web site: Convicted Tongan MPs given stay by appeals . RNZ . 26 May 2022 . 26 May 2022.
  10. Web site: Appeals dismissed, three Cabinet Ministers elections void . Matangi Tonga . 9 August 2022 . 10 August 2022.
  11. Web site: Tonga court dismisses three Cabinet Ministers’ electoral fraud appeals; upholds former PM’s appeal . Kaniva Tonga . 9 August 2022 . 10 August 2022.
  12. Web site: Three Cabinet Ministers unseated . Matangi Tonga . 10 August 2022 . 11 August 2022.
  13. Web site: Ousted Finance Minister and convict Tatafu Moeaki stays in gov’t as project manager . Kaniva Tonga . 24 August 2022 . 24 August 2022.
  14. Web site: Tatafu Moeaki, new Governor of National Reserve Bank of Tonga . Matangi Tonga . 2 January 2023 . 3 January 2023.

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