Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has nominated MP Losaline Ma’asi as his new Minister of Internal Affairs, a government spokesperson told Kaniva News this afternoon.
The Tongatapu 5 MP has replaced outgoing cabinet minister MP Akosita Lavulavu.
The spokesperson also said no one has been nominated to replace Lord Ma’afu after the noble resigned as Minister of Lands and Survey as well as Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces in March.
Ma’asi, a former senior civil servant and CEO of the Ministry of Agriculture, unseated former MP and Finance Minister ‘Aisake Eke after last year’s snap election.
She and Lavulavu were the only two women elected after the king dissolved Parliament in 2017.
Lavulavu was dismissed last month after she refused to resign voluntarily at the request of the Prime Minister.
She and her husband ‘Etuate, a former cabinet minister, are expected to appear in court at the end of this month after they were charged with three counts each of knowingly dealing with forged documents and three counts of obtaining credit by false pretences.
