Tonga's Prime Minister HRH Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata resigned as Prime Minister on Saturday February 11 and stepped down after six years as head of cabinet.

The Prince Regent, HRH Crown Prince Tupouto'a, accepted his younger brother's resignation from all portfolios, which included Communications, Civil Aviation, Marine and Ports, and Disaster Relief.

The Hon. Dr. Feleti (Fred) Sevele, Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industry, has been appointed as the Acting Prime Minister. A Nuku'alofa businessman, Dr Sevele was appointed as a Minister on March 21 last year after he was elected as a People's Representative to Parliament.

No reason was given for the resignation of the prince, which was announced by Hon Fielakepa, the Minister of Lands, on Tongan national radio and television on Monday at midday, while Nuku'alofa was shutting down for the approach of Cyclone Vaianu.

However, the resignation, which had been rumoured for weeks, comes after three years of political upheaval in Tonga during which Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata's leadership had come under increasing public criticism, particularly during the imposition of destructive media laws in 2003, and the collapse of the government owned Royal Tongan Airlines in 2004, and over his apparent aloofness during the civil servants strike in 2005, the eventual settlement of which has left the government with severe budgetary shortages and a looming financial crisis.