DALTON TAGELAGI VOTED IN AS NEW PREMIER OF NIUE

Alofi: The new Premier of Niue is Dalton Tagelagi after he won a parliamentary vote.

Mr Tagelagi won 13 votes against seven for veteran MP O’love Jacobsen.

They were the only two nominations for Premier. Mr Tagelagi was Minister for the Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the previous government. Mr Tagelagi represented Niue in lawn bowls at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Mr Tagelagi replaces Sir Toke Talagi who lost his seat in last month’s election, stopping him from a fifth term in office. Earlier Hima Douglas was voted in Speaker of the House in a third round of voting.

The former diplomat, MP and broadcaster won by 11 votes to 9. The previous two rounds were tied between him and former Speaker Togiavalu Pihigia.