Law Lords vote for Nobles Reps [1]
Thursday, November 25, 2010 - 16:57. Updated on Saturday, May 3, 2014 - 20:08.
THREE of the king's Law Lords: Lord Tufui, Lord Tupou and Lord Dalgety, cast their votes for the first time at the 2010 Nobles Election this morning, together with about 19 of Tonga's traditional nobles who were present to cast their votes at the Palace Office in Nuku'alofa between 10:00 - 11:00am.
The names of the nine new Nobles' Representatives to the Tonga Parliament were expected to be announced at 4pm today at the Palace Office.
The Law Lords appointed by HM King George Tupou V were recently included in the nobles election following a Regulation made in Nuku'alofa on October 8, 2010, that any persons appointed by His Majesty as a Life Peer having the same rights and benefits of a noble may vote for an electoral district. But they cannot stand as nobles candidate themselves. Their inclusion brings the number of nobles titles from 33 to 36. Currently, three of the nobles titles remain vacant namely Ma'atu, 'Ahome'e and Fohe.
The nine Nobles' Representatives are drawn from the different island groups with three representatives for Tongatapu, two for Vava'u, two for Ha'apai, one for 'Eua,; and one for the two Niuas (Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ou).
The nobles from each group cast their votes for their own group. In the two Niuas this meant that three nobles Fusitu'a, Tangipa and Fotofili must decide between themselves who will take the seat in the House for the next four years.
Voted by fax
The Supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki said that some of the nobles who were not present included 'Ulukalala, Ata, Tuita, and Malupo who were abroad but sent through their votes by fax.
He said there were also some nobles in the islands who would send through their votes by noon.
Nobles present at the voting in Nuku'alofa included Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka, Tungi, Tu'ipelehake, Lasike, Vaea, Fielakepa, Fakafanua, Fulivai, Tu'iha'angana, Tu'iha'ateiho, Fusitu'a, Tu'ivakano, Ve'ehala, Vaha'i, Nuku, Fakatulolo, Tu'ilakepa, Kalaniuvalu and Ma'afu.