Viliami Veasii Veikune, styled Lord Tuihaateiho is a

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 ...

n noble, politician, and Member of the

Legislative Assembly of Tonga 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 singl ...

. He is the 15th person to hold the Tuihaateiho title, and was appointed to it on 5 June 2004. He grew up and was educated in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

."Lord Havea Tuihaateiho"
Parliament of Tonga He served for a time as Chairman of the Tonga Body Builders Association. Tuihaateiho was elected as a noble representative for Ha'apai in the 2005 and 2008 elections. He was re-elected in the 2010 elections. In December 2010 Tuihaateiho was charged with possession of an illegal firearm. If convicted, he would lose his seat in Parliament. Before his trial, however, Parliament adopted an amendment to the ''Arms and Ammunition Act'', lessening the potential sentence that he faced (and which Lord Tuilakepa was facing on a similar charge), so that if convicted he would nonetheless retain his seat in Parliament. The

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands The Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands ( to, Paati Temokalati ʻa e ʻOtu Motu ʻAngaʻofa) is a political party in Tonga. The party's leader at its foundation was 'Akilisi Pohiva. The party was launched in September 2010, and included s ...

, which had opposed the amendment, asked 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. ...

to veto it, which he did. Lord Tuihaateiho appeared before a magistrate's court on 11 June 2012. His

counsel A counsel or a counsellor at law is a person who gives advice and deals with various issues, particularly in legal matters. It is a title often used interchangeably with the title of ''lawyer''. The word ''counsel'' can also mean advice given ...

was fellow MP Siosifa Tuutafaiva. Following conviction, he was sentenced on 6 March 2015 to a 2,400 pa'anga fine. On 2 July 2012, following Lord Tuiafitu's resignation from the position of Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to become Minister for Health, Lord Tu‘iha‘teiho became Deputy Speaker in his place.

Honours

;National honours * Order of the Crown of Tonga - ribbon bar

Order of the Crown of Tonga The Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga ('' Tongan: Fakalangilangi 'o Kalauni 'o Tonga'') is an Order of Merit awarded for exceptional services to Tonga and the Crown of Tonga. History It was established 16 April 1913 by George Tupou II to rewa ...

, Commander (31 July 2008).

References

Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga Tongan nobles People from Ha{{okinaapai Tongan politicians convicted of crimes Commanders of the Order of the Crown of Tonga