Lord Ramsay Dalgety has been appointed Tonga's new commissioner and chairman of the Electoral Commission.
According to the Tongan Electoral Act, the King appoints the commissioner for five years.
Kaniva Pacific reports that Lord Dalgety's first task will be to oversee the election of district and town officers in June.
A Vava'u by-election will also take place on 14 July after 'Etuate Lavulavu lost his seat because he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Lord Dalgety, a lawyer who moved from Scotland to Tonga more than 25 years ago, was made a life peer seven years ago.
In 2009 he was charged in connection with the Princess Ashika disaster, in which 74 people died.
He was secretary of the company that operated the vessel, but the charges were later quashed.
