Onneyn Tahi

Onneyn Morris Tahi (24 July 1944 – 1998) was a Vanuatuan politician.

Onneyn Tahi
Acting President of Vanuatu
In office 12 January 1989 – 30 January 1989
Prime Minister	Walter Lini
Preceded by	Ati George Sokomanu
Succeeded by	Frederick Karlomuana Timakata
Speaker of the Parliament
In office December 1987 – June 1991
Preceded by	Frederick Karlomuana Timakata
Succeeded by	Tele Taun
Personal details
Born	(1944-07-24)July 24, 1944 Aoba Island
Died	1998 Aoba Island
Political party	Vanua'aku Pati
Other political affiliations	People's Democratic Party

Biography

Tahi was born on 24 July 1944 in the small town of Losingoiburie on Aoba Island. Shortly thereafter, he moved to his father's village Lovuietu, where his father owned a shop, bakery, and copra processing shed. He attended the Tavolala Village School, the Holy Trinity School, and the Aobabalu School.^{[1][self-published source]}

After some years in civil service, Tahi entered politics in 1979 when he ran for and won a seat on the Aoba Islands Subcommittee. He represented Ambae constituency in Parliament from 1980 to 1995. In 1993, he was given the ministerial portfolio of education and sports.^[1] Tahi was the speaker of the Parliament from 1987 to 1991. He briefly served as acting president of Vanuatu in January 1991 after Ati George Sokomanu was removed from Office by the Electoral College due to gross misconduct.^[2] Tahi was named Minister of Agriculture in 1991.^[3] He began to see some opposition due to a perceived failure to initiate projects in his constituency.^[4] He was Minister of Finance in 1992.^{[citation needed]}

In 1994, he was one of the founding members of the People's Democratic Party. He returned to the Vanua'aku Pati in 1997. In the lead up to the 1998 parliamentary elections, Tahi was killed in a car crash.^[5]