Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele, Lord Sevele of Vailahi (born 7 July 1944) was the

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

of the Kingdom of

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.

Biography

Early life

Lord Sevele was born in Ma’ufanga, Nuku’alofa. He began his high school education at Apifo'ou College in Tonga, then went to school in Fiji at St John's College in

Levuka Levuka () is a town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau, in Lomaiviti Province, in the Eastern Division of Fiji. Prior to 1877, it was the capital of Fiji. At the census in 2007, the last to date, Levuka town had a population ...

on the island of Ovalau, and the Marist Brothers High School, Suva. He then attended St Bede's College in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

, New Zealand, before going to the University of Canterbury where he graduated with a

BSc A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...

degree in mathematics, and a BA, an MA and a PhD degree in

economic geography Economic geography is the subfield of human geography which studies economic activity and factors affecting them. It can also be considered a subfield or method in economics. There are four branches of economic geography. There is, primary secto ...

titled '' 'Regional inequalities in socio-economic development in Tonga' ''. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2003.

Career

Upon returning to Tonga he was employed by the Tonga Commodities Board, then as chief economist for the

South Pacific Commission The Pacific Community (PC), formerly the South Pacific Commission (SPC), is an international development organisation governed by 27 members, including 22 Pacific island countries and territories. The organisation's headquarters are in Nouméa ...

, and as a councilor for the

University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and is owned by the go ...

. He subsequently worked as Director of Catholic Education, a consultant, and businessman. Sevele was first elected as one of nine People's Representatives to the Legislative Assembly or ''Fale Alea'' in the 1999 election and re-elected in subsequent elections. In March 2005 he was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Labour, Commerce and Industries, becoming one of the first two elected representatives to be appointed to Cabinet. As Minister he negotiated Tonga's becoming a member of the

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and ...

in December 2005. In early 2006 he presented an Employment Relations Bill to Cabinet, based on the Fijian Bill of the same name, as a response to the

public service A public service is any service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. Public services are available to people within a government jurisdiction as provided directly through public sector agencies ...

strike of 2005.

Prime Minister

Sevele is the country's third non-noble Prime Minister after

Shirley Waldemar Baker Shirley Waldemar Baker (1836 – 16 November 1903) was a Methodist missionary in Tonga. He was the founder of the Free Church of Tonga and enjoyed significant influence during the reign of George Tupou I, who made him prime minister. Early life ...

an
SiosatekiTonga
He was appointed Acting Prime Minister after the sudden resignation of Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho (at that time commonly known as: Ulukālala Lavaka Ata) on 11 February 2006, six months after a series of pro-democracy protests that called for a lesser role in government for the royal family. Sevele's role was made permanent by King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, when he appointed Dr Sevele as the Prime Minister of Tonga on 30 March 2006. On 19 September 2007, Sevele was received by

Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

President

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...

in Malacañang. He attended the

Asian Development Bank The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field offic ...

's "''Mobilizing Aid for Trade''" conference (18 to 20 September). Following the resignation of Finance Minister Siosiua 'Utoikamanu, Sevele temporarily took over his portfolio on 26 February 2008 until 'Otenifi Afu'alo Matoto was appointed as Finance Minister on 20 March. Sevele did not seek re-election at the 2010 elections. Following the completion of his term as Prime Minister he was created a Tongan life peer by King

George Tupou V George Tupou V ( Tongan: Siaosi Tupou, full name: Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 4 May 194818 March 2012) was the King of Tonga from the death of his father Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV in 2006 until his own death six years later. ...

with the noble title of Lord Sevele of Vailahi.

Honours

;National honours * The_Most_Illustrious_Order_of_Queen_Salote_Tupou_III_Member

Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Knight Grand Cross with collar (31 July 2008).

References

External links

Profile
at Tongan Government website
Pacific MagazineMatangi TongaPhotos of Prime Minister Sevele's trip to Los Angeles and Honolulu November 2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sevele, Feleti 1944 births Foreign ministers of Tonga People educated at Marist Brothers High School, Fiji People educated at St Bede's College, Christchurch Industry ministers of Tonga Labour ministers of Tonga Trade ministers of Tonga Living people Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga Prime Ministers of Tonga Tongan economists University of Canterbury alumni Tongan nobles Tongan businesspeople People from Nukuʻalofa Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III