ʻAisake Eke

ʻAisake Valu Eke is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister.

ʻAisake Valu Eke
Minister for Finance and National Planning
In office
13 January 2014 – 6 March 2017
Prime MinisterLord Tuʻivakano
ʻAkilisi Pohiva
Preceded byLisiate ‘Akolo
Succeeded byTevita Lavemaau
Member of Parliament
for Tongatapu 5
Assumed office
18 November 2021
Preceded byLosaline Ma'asi
In office
25 November 2010 – 16 November 2017
Preceded bynone (constituency established)
Succeeded byLosaline Ma'asi
Majority2.2%
Personal details
Political partyIndependent

Eke studied at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, where he was awarded a PhD for his thesis "An exploratory study on the quality of service in the public sector in Tonga" completed in 2013.[1]

A former Secretary for Finance at the Ministry of Finance, he was first elected to the Legislative Assembly at the November 2010 general election as MP for Tongatapu 5. Though close to the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, and despite having considered running as a party member, he stood as an independent, taking the seat with 24.1% of the vote and a 63-vote margin; Tongatapu 5 was thus the only constituency on Tongatapu (Tonga's main island) not to be won by the party.[2]

Once elected, he told the press there was much to be done to improve the economy, and said the government should facilitate private sector activity.[3]

In October 2011, he was one of several MPs to protest against Parliament voting large allowances to any of its members on sick leave overseas. Stating that MPs should not be spending more public money on themselves at a time when the economy was weak, he was one of eight MPs to vote against the increased allowances (along with ʻAkilisi Pohiva, Semisi Sika, Sitiveni Halapua, Sangster Saulala, Sione Taione, Falisi Tupou and Moʻale Finau, all members of the Democratic Party). The motion was adopted by twelve votes to eight.[4][5]

In January 2014, Prime Minister Lord Tuʻivakano appointed him Minister of Finance, following the sacking of Lisiate ‘Akolo over a disagreement concerning the budget.[6] He subsequently kept that position in Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva's government. In March 2017, however, he abstained during a parliamentary vote on a motion of no confidence against the government he was part of, and was compelled to resign.[7] He subsequently lost his seat at the 2017 election.

He was re-elected in the seat of Tongatapu 5 in the 2021 election.[8] In the aftermath of the election he was one of three candidates for Prime Minister,[9][10] but was ultimately defeated by Siaosi Sovaleni, who won the Premiership with 16 votes.[11][12] In May 2022 he was absolved of bribery by the Supreme Court.

Honours
National honours

References
  1. Eke, Aisake Valu (2013-07-27). "An exploratory study on the quality of service in the public sector in Tonga". eprints.usq.edu.au. Retrieved 2019-08-02.
  2. "“Demo Party” win landslide victory in first democratic government", Taimi Media Network, 1 December 2010
  3. "Grim economic times ahead for new gov’t", Taimi Media Network, 22 December 2010
  4. "Tongan MPs help themselves to lavish medical leave", Matangi Tonga, 18 October 2011
  5. "Tongan MP questions government’s new medical regulation", Radio New Zealand International, 19 October 2011
  6. "‘Aisake Eke appointed new Tongan Finance Minister", Islands Business, 14 January 2014
  7. "Tonga Finance Minister resigns". Radio New Zealand. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  8. "Tonga elects all-male parliament with nine new People's Reps". Matangi Tonga. 18 November 2021. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  9. "Tonga: Three contenders for prime minister's job". RNZ. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  10. "ANALYSIS: Tonga in search for viable, credible PM; the best of best has yet to come". Kaniva Tonga. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  11. "Emotional, Siaosi Sovaleni elected PM Designate". Matangi Tonga. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  12. "MPs choose Siaosi Sovaleni as new prime minister". Kaniva Tonga. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  13. "Royal orders presented at Palace". Matangi Tonga. 1 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
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