Poasi Tei | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga | |
| In office 28 December 2021 – 10 August 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Siaosi Sovaleni |
| Preceded by | Lord Maʻafu |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Minister for Energy, Environment, Information and Climate Change | |
| In office 4 January 2018 – 10 August 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Siaosi Sovaleni Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa ʻAkilisi Pōhiva |
| Preceded by | Siaosi Sovaleni |
| Minister for Public Enterprises | |
| In office 28 December 2021 – 10 August 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Siaosi Sovaleni |
| Preceded by | Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa |
| Succeeded by | Siaosi Sovaleni |
| In office 30 December 2014 – 4 January 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | ʻAkilisi Pōhiva |
| Preceded by | Fe‘aomoeata Vakata |
| Succeeded by | Saia Piukala |
| Member of Parliament forTongatapu 6 | |
| In office 27 November 2014 – 10 August 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Siosifa Tuʻutafaiva |
| Succeeded by | Dulcie Tei |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1967-10-04)4 October 1967 (age 57) |
| Political party | None |
Poasi Mataele Tei (born 4 October 1967) is aTongan politician and former Member of theLegislative Assembly of Tonga.[1]
Tei was educated at theUniversity of the South Pacific inSuva,Fiji, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and an MBA.[2] Before entering politics he worked for the Statistics Department, as an accountant for the Tonga Co-operative Federation, Pacific Finance and Investment, Tonga Water Board and Tonga Airport Limited.[2]
He was first elected to Parliament as aDemocratic Party of the Friendly Islands candidate at the2014 Tongan general election, and was appointed as Minister for Public Enterprises in theʻAkilisi Pōhiva Cabinet. In 2015 he attempted to remove two nobles as directors of theTonga Broadcasting Commission, but the decision was later overturned by the courts.[3] He was re-elected at the2017 election and appointed as Minister of Energy, Environment, Information and Climate Change (MEIDEEC).[4][5]
Following the death ofʻAkilisi Pōhiva Tei supportedPohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa for Prime Minister. He retained his portfolios in the Tuʻiʻonetoa's Cabinet.[6]
He was re-elected in the2021 election.[7] On 28 December 2021 he was appointed to the Cabinet ofSiaosi Sovaleni asDeputy Prime Minister, Minister for Public Enterprises, and Minister for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Communications and Climate Change (MEIDECC).[8] On 13 May 2022 his election was declared void after the Supreme Court found him guilty of three counts of bribery in an election petition.[9][10] The conviction was stayed pending appeal on 26 May 2022.[11] On 9 August 2022 his appeal was dismissed, and his election confirmed as void.[12][13] He was formally unseated by Parliament on 10 August.[14] His wifeDulcie Elaine Tei won theresulting by-election.[15]