Paula Piukala

Paula Piukala
Member of the Tongan Parliament
for Tongatapu 7
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 November 2022
Preceded bySione Sangster Saulala
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic Party of the Friendly Islands

Paula Piveni Piukala is a Tongan politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. He is a member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.

Piukala works in the information technology industry, including as a computer systems manager for Shoreline Group. In March 2005 he became a whistleblower against Shoreline, alleging financial mismanagement, falsified audits, and exorbitant salaries paid to the company's executives, which included Crown Prince Tupouto‘a (later George Tupou V).[1] The allegations led to a court case and protests against Shoreline from the Human Rights and Democracy Movement.[1] He later worked as director of Tonga Cable.[2]

At the 2021 Tongan general election he sought the PTOA nomination for Tongatapu 7, but a factional dispute inside the PTOA saw him lose to Sione Sangster Saulala.[3] He contested the election anyway, but lost.[4] Following the election he challenged Saulala's election in court,[5] resulting in the latter's election being voided for bribery.[6][7][8] Piukala was elected in the subsequent 2022 Tongatapu 7 by-election.[9][10]

In February 2024 he was suspended from parliament for seven days after offending Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni during a heated debate on Lulutai Airlines.[11] The suspension was later reduced, and Piukala resumed his seat on 26 February.[12]

  1. ^ a b Leslie, Heather E. Young (2007). "Tonga". The Contemporary Pacific. 19 (1): 262–276. doi:10.1353/cp.2007.0021. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Tonga turns to satellite to re-connect". RNZ. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Sika's PTOA team rejects Tt 7 majority poll favouring Piveni Piukala as candidate; nominates independent Sangstar Saulala instead". Kaniva Tonga. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  4. ^ "A sobering reality hits Democrats after election losses; voters elect nine new faces". Kaniva Tonga. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Seven Tongan MPs and Cabinet Ministers on trial for alleged illegal election campaign financing". Kaniva Tonga. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Appeals dismissed, three Cabinet Ministers elections void". Matangi Tonga. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Tonga court dismisses three Cabinet Ministers' electoral fraud appeals; upholds former PM's appeal". Kaniva Tonga. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Three Cabinet Ministers unseated". Matangi Tonga. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  9. ^ "3 new MPS for Tongatapu decided in by-election". Matangi Tonga. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Democrats claim victory in Tonga by-elections". Kaniva Tonga. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  11. ^ "People's Rep, Piveni Piukala suspended from parliament". Matangi Tonga. 20 February 2024. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024.
  12. ^ "People's Rep Piukala returns to House after suspension reduced". Matangi Tonga. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.