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ʻUliti Uata

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ʻUliti Uata
Minister of Health
In office
25 January 2011 – 25 June 2012
Prime MinisterSialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō
Preceded byʻAkilisi Pōhiva
Succeeded byTonga Tuʻiʻafitu
Member of the Tongan Parliament
for Haʻapai 13
In office
25 November 2010 – 27 November 2014
Preceded bynone (seat created)
Succeeded byVeivosa Taka
Member of Parliament
for Haʻapai
In office
4 February 1993 – 25 November 2010
Succeeded bynone (seat disestablished)
In office
1975–1980
Personal details
Born24 August 1936
Political partyDemocratic Party of the Friendly Islands

ʻUliti Uata (born 24 August 1936[1]) is a Tongan politician. He is a member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.[2]

Biography

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He was initially a businessman, running several businesses including "inter-islands ferries, general store, tourism, and others", until he entered politics and "divested himself" of his businesses so as to focus on his political career and on his family.[1] His wife, Luisa Mataele Uata, is a distinguished baker and successful businesswoman.

Uata was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga in 1975, and served as a People's Representative until 1980. After a break from politics, he contested the 1993 election and won the seat of Ha'apai. He has been re-elected in every subsequent election.[3]

In 2007, Uata was one of several pro-democracy MPs charged with sedition over speeches given before the 2006 Nuku'alofa riots.[4] The charges were dismissed in September 2009.[5]

Uata was re-elected for an eighth term in the 2010 election, for the new single-seat constituency of Haʻapai 13, and nominated to the post of Minister of Health on 25 January 2011, following ʻAkilisi Pohiva's resignation from that position.[6] In late June 2012, Uata -along with two other ministers- resigned from the Cabinet, so as to support a motion of no confidence tabled by his party (DPFI) against the government.[7] He was succeeded as Minister for Health by Lord Tuʻiʻafitu.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Hon. 'Uliti Uata appointed as Minister for Health". Tonga Government Portal. Prime Minister's Office, Nuku'alofa. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  2. ^ "MP ʻUliti Uata tipped as new Health Minister", Taimi Media Network, January 22, 2010
  3. ^ Biography on the website of the Tongan Parliament
  4. ^ "Ha'apai parliamentarian charged with sedition". Matangi Tonga. 6 March 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Five acquitted on charges of seditious conspiracy in Tonga". RNZ. 14 September 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  6. ^ "New Minister of Health", Matangi Tonga, 26 Jan 2011
  7. ^ "Three Cabinet Ministers in Tonga resign ahead of confidence motion". RNZ. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  8. ^ "PM's new Cabinet short of ministers", Matangi Tonga, 9 July 2012