Parliament adjourns Vote of No Confidence amid confusion [1]
Thursday, August 2, 2012 - 21:25. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
From the House by Pesi Fonua
The Tongan parliament was in an uproar this afternoon as members who supported a Motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister were given the floor to counter the written response of the Prime Minister that had been read to the parliament over the previous five days of sitting.
The motion claims that the Prime Minister had made unconstitutional and illegal decisions.
Unfortunately, for the supporters of the motion, they appeared to be disorganized and seemed to have forgotten that they had intended to present their case in writing, and instead delivered it verbally. They seemed surprised when their first speaker, People's Representative Siosifa Tu'utafaiva, was interrupted by the Speaker and reminded that he had only 20 minutes to speak.
When they pointed out that no interruptions had been allowed when the Clerk had read the Prime Minister's response to their motion, the Speaker replied that it was because it was presented in the form of a letter. However, to take the floor and make a speech there is a time limit, except on specific occasions such as when the Minister of Finance presented his annual budget. Verbal presentations also opened the floor for debate.
People's Representative 'Akilisi Pohiva said that initially it was their plan to present a written response to the House, but then they decided it would be better for members to make verbal presentations.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu reminded the House that only the week before 'Isileli Pulu had told the House that their written response was nearly completed and they had only a few pages to go.
People's Representative 'Isileli Pulu replied with an appeal for the Speaker to give Sifa another five minutes to finish his speech. He said that their written response would be submitted later.
Siosifa Tu'utafaiva, the Chairman of the Whole Committee of the House, a lawyer, argued that the Prime Minister had infringed the Constitution, because when he selected his Cabinet Ministers, they each had to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that they would not vote for a motion of no confidence in him.
Kakala, a sweet scented garland of tropical flowers
Sifa also argued that the Prime Minister's use of a metaphor was "too light." Sifa did not like a metaphorical reference that the Prime Minister had used when he had referred to his selection by members as the Prime Minister as "like being presented with a garland of flowers (kakala)".
Sifa believed that a supposedly heavy responsibility should not be compared to a garland of flowers. Especially, he said, when the pledge of a member's oath reads – "I solemnly swear before God, that I will be truly loyal to His Majesty King George Tupou VI, the rightly King of Tonga and that I will righteously and perfectly conform to and keep the Constitution of Tonga and zealously discharge my duties as a Member of the Legislative Assemnbly."
Sifa emphasized that the oath said, "I will righteously and perfectly conform to and keep the Constitution of Tonga . . ." ("tauhi ke ma'oni'oni mo haohaoa"). So for the PM to say that being selected as a Prime Minister was like being presented with a garland, according to Sifa, was inadequate and unconstitutional.
In addition he pointed out that the Prime Minister has not presented the government ministries annual reports for 2010, 2011 to the House.
Lord Tu'ilakepa, a former speaker of the House told the House that government Ministries annual reports for 2010 were presented to him while he was the Speaker and he was sure they were in the office, but he did not table them into the House because at the time they were preoccupied with the Political Reform.
Sifa, however stressed that it was constitutional for them to present the motion, and he believed there was already in place a procedure for them to deal with the motion, "but if there are shortfalls, then it is for the Speaker to decide how they should deal with the motion."
The Speaker warned Sifa that he had two minutes left to finish his speech.
It was at this point of time that members who signed the motion realized that they were not going to have the floor for the next five or six days to argue their motion uninterrupted.
The Deputy Prime Minister moved for the House to reconvene at 6:00pm to work overtime and finish the motion so that they might proceed with the amount of work that had been put aside because of the motion for a vote of no confidence.
However, there was also a strong desire for the House to have a break, then meet again in their normal working time starting at 10:00am Monday, August 6.
The broadcasting of proceedings in the House went off the air before a definite decision was made, but it was expected that the House would reconvene on Monday, August 6.
Today's parliamentary session did not start until 2:00pm, to allow the Tongatapu and 'Eua Nobles to attend this morning's by-election to elect a new Nobles Representative to the House.
At the beginning of the afternoon session, Lord Nuku was sworn in as the new Noble's Representative for 'Eua.
With regards to the Motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister, as it stands today, if there will be no crossing the floor, the members who support the motion have 11 supporters, against 13 who want to move on to other matters.