Sitenimoa Valevale

Sitenimoa Valevale, styled Lord Nuku, is a Tongan noble, politician, and Cabinet Minister. He represents the ʻEua noble constituency in the Legislative Assembly.

Sitenimoa Valevale
Lord Nuku in 2015
Minister of Police, Prison and Fire Services
In office
10 October 2019 – 28 December 2021
Prime MinisterPōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Preceded byMateni Tapueluelu
Succeeded bySiaosi Sovaleni
In office
2005 – 17 May 2006
Prime MinisterʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho
Feleti Sevele
Succeeded bySiaosi Taimani 'Aho
Minister of Works
In office
17 May 2006 – 26 November 2010
Prime MinisterFeleti Sevele
Preceded bySialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō
Succeeded bySamiu Vaipulu
Member of the Tongan Parliament
for ʻEua (noble)
Assumed office
2 August 2012
Preceded byHavea Hikuleʻo ʻoPulotu

Political career

Lord Nuku was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Police, Prison and Fire Services in 2005, forcing him to resign his seat in the Legislative Assembly and causing a by-election.[1] In May 2006 he was appointed Minister of Works in a cabinet reshuffle.[2] Following political reforms requiring Cabinet Ministers to be members of the Legislative Assembly, he stood in the 2010 election but failed to secure a seat.

In May 2012, Nuku joined then-Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu in suing opposition leader ʻAkilisi Pōhiva and two journalists for defamation over an article alleging that while Minister of Works he had profited from a US$46 million loan intended for road maintenance.[3]

Also in 2012, Nuku was elected as a noble representative in a by-election following the conviction of former Speaker Havea Hikuleʻo ʻoPulotu.[4] He was re-elected at the 2014[5] and 2017 elections.[6] During his time in the Legislative Assembly, he has advocated for better tsunami evacuation plans,[7] and supported subsidies for school fees in the wake of Cyclone Gita.[8]

In February 2019, Nuku presented a petition from Tonga's nobles calling for the government to be investigated and parliament to be dissolved.[9] In March 2019 he led a walkout of nobles and non-government MPs from parliament.[10]

Following Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva's death in 2019, Nuku was appointed to the Cabinet of Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa as Minister for Police, Fire & Emergency Services.[11][12] He was re-elected at the 2021 election,[13] but was not reappointed to Cabinet.

Controversy

In May 2017 the Land Court of Tonga ordered Valevale and Yanjian Group to pay Lord Luani TP$5,556,000 as compensation for illegally trespassing and mining Luani's land.[14] The penalty was later reduced to TP$3 million.[15] In October 2020 as part of litigation over the debt, Tonga's Chief Justice ruled that Valevale's evidence was unreliable, and that he had refused to cooperate with the court and tried to hide his financial status.[16]

Honours
National honours

References
  1. "Tongan nobles choose two new assembly members". RNZ. 3 May 2005. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. "A cabinet reshuffle takes place in Tonga". RNZ. 17 May 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  3. "Tonga media trio accused of defamation". RNZ. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  4. "Lord Nuku chosen by Tonga's nobility to replace convicted Lord Lasike". RNZ. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  5. "2014 Final Election Results". Ministry of Information and Communications. 27 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020.
  6. "Tongan parliamentary seat decided by coin toss". RNZ. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  7. "Tonga in need of clear tsunami evacuation plan". Radio New Zealand. 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  8. "Tongan MPs debate 'Eua school fees". Radio New Zealand. 2018-10-02. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  9. "Multiple petitions call for dissolution of Tonga Parliament". RNZ. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  10. "Non-government MPs walk out of Tonga's parliament". RNZ. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  11. ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  12. "Tonga MPs choose Tu'i'onetoa as new prime minister". RNZ. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  13. "Three new nobles elected to nine Nobles seats". Matangi Tonga. 18 November 2021. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021.
  14. "Land Court finds Lord Nuku and mining company were trespassing". Kaniva Tonga. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  15. "Land Court reduces Lord Nuku's penalty to TP$3 million". Kaniva Tonga. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  16. "Judge declares Police Minister Lord Nuku's evidence unreliable; tried to hide his real financial status in dispute over TP$4 million debt". Kaniva Tonga. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  17. "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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