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.

Biography

Tangi is from

Vavaʻu Vavau is an island group, consisting of one large island ( ʻUtu Vavaʻu) 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 Tongatap ...

. He trained as a medical doctor at the Fiji School of Medicine, then entered the civil service as a medical officer. After completing surgical training overseas he became the second Tongan national admitted to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He worked as Chief Surgeon in Vaiola Hospital, Nuku'alofa, before moving to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. He returned to Tonga after being appointed as Minister of Health in 1999. As a Minister, he sat in the

Tongan Parliament The Legislative Assembly of Tonga ( to, Fale Alea ʻo Tonga) is the unicameral legislature of Tonga. The assembly has 26 members in which 17 members elected by majority of the people for a 5-year term in multi-seat constituencies via the sing ...

, but was not an elected representative. In 2003 he was elected to the WHO Executive Board. Following democratic reforms in 2010, Dr Tangi contested the 2010 election, but failed to win a seat. On 30 December 2010, he was appointed a Tongan life peer by King George Tupou V as Lord Tangi of Vaonukonuka. Following the

2021 Tongan general election General elections were held in Tonga on 18 November 2021 to elect 17 of the 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly. Following the election four MPs were unseated for bribery. Background The 2017 general election resulted in a landslide victo ...

, he was appointed interim Speaker.

Honours

;National honours * The_Most_Illustrious_Order_of_Queen_Salote_Tupou_III_Member

Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III The ''Most Illustrious'' Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III is a knighthood order of the Kingdom of Tonga. History The Order was established on 28 June 2008 by His Late Majesty King George Tupou V to commemorate the grand figure of his grandmot ...

, Knight Grand Cross with Collar (31 July 2008).

References

Living people Year of birth missing (living people) People from Vavaʻu Fiji School of Medicine alumni Deputy Prime Ministers of Tonga Ministers of Health of Tonga Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga Tongan emigrants to Australia Tongan surgeons Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III {{Tonga-politician-stub