Viliami Tangi

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.

Viliami Tangi
Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga
In office
May 2006 – 4 January 2011
Prime MinisterFeleti Sevele
Preceded byJames Cocker
Succeeded bySamiu Vaipulu
Minister of Health
In office
1 March 1999 – 4 January 2011
Prime MinisterBaron Vaea
ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho
Feleti Sevele
Succeeded byʻAkilisi Pōhiva

Biography

Tangi is from Vavaʻu.[1] 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.[2] He worked as Chief Surgeon in Vaiola Hospital, Nuku'alofa, before moving to Australia. He returned to Tonga after being appointed as Minister of Health in 1999. As a Minister, he sat in the Tongan Parliament, but was not an elected representative. In 2003 he was elected to the WHO Executive Board.[2]

Following democratic reforms in 2010, Tangi contested the 2010 election,[3] 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.[2]

Following the 2021 Tongan general election, he was appointed interim Speaker.[4]

Honours
National honours

References
  1. David Riley (2016). Tongan Heroes (PDF). Auckland: Reading Warrior. pp. 28–30. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  2. "Lord Tangi of Vaonukonuka". Government of Tonga. 30 December 2010. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  3. "Tonga health minister standing in elections to ensure continuity". RNZ. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  4. "Lord Tangi is interim Speaker of the House". Nukualofa Times. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  5. "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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