Hon. Va’aiga Paotama Tukuitonga

Member of Parliament: May 2005 to June 2008; 2011 – current

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Va’aiga was elected as a Cabinet Minister and she holds the portfolios of Women Affairs and Culture, Education, Taoga Niue and Justice. Va’aiga was first elected to Parliament as a Member for Alofi North in the general election on the 19^th of March 1999. She defeated the Premier of Niue, Hon Frank Fakaotimanava Lui (CNZM).

Va’aiga Tukuitonga was the second woman in Niue to hold a Ministerial seat in Parliament. She was elected as the Associate Minister for Culture and Arts, Women Affairs and Immigration in 2002. Va’aiga Tukuitonga was a Member for the Taoga Niue Advisory Committee in 2002.

Before entering Parliament she was a teacher, teaching in the Primary Schools: Halavai and Halamahaga; and Secondary; Niue High School.

• 2001   Member of the 100 Years Commemorating Centennial Committee.
• 2000   Chairperson Niue Cultural Council, Associate Minister for Culture and Arts, Leader and Tutor of the Niue Cultural Group to the Festival of Pacific Arts held in Noumea, New Caledonia.
• 1999   At the Niue General Elections-Elected as the Alofi North Member of Parliament in the Niue Legislative Assembly
• 1998   President Alofi North Women’s Club
• 1997   Justice of Peace Niue Judiciary Courts, Member of Alofi North Village Council Deputy Chairperson
• 1996   Leader and Tutor of the Niue Cultural Group to the 7^th Festival of Pacific Arts held in Apia, Western Samoa. Member of the Tohitohi Nukutuluea Niue Writers Group.
•  1993   Member of the Niue Language Commission
•  1989   Commissioner of Niue Land Court

Va’aiga went to Victoria, University, Wellington, New Zealand. She is married to Saukia Tukuitonga with a family of 4 children.

Va’aiga Tukuitonga’s interests include reading, writing music, culture, history, dancing, cooking and darts.