By Pesi Fonua
The call for Tongan voters to be sensible and to select parliamentary representatives who will use their money wisely, is a message that we have heard repeatedly since the first election under our reformed system of government that was introduced in 2010.
Campaigning is now underway for the upcoming General Election on November 18, 2021, which will be the fourth under our so-called “More Democratic System of Government”.
But most interestingly, after 11 years, we find ourselves still living in Disneyland, with politicians promoting many different interpretations of the system of government and encouraging everyone to go along for the ride - because the original intention of the reform that was agreed by parliament in 2009 simply doesn't work.
The crunch is that out of the 26 elected members of parliament (17 People’s Representatives and nine Nobles’ Representatives), government can have only 10 Cabinet Ministers, so there will always be a minority government.
That intention was summed up by the late King George Tupou V when he opened the Tonga Legislative Assembly's 2010 session and explained that, under the Constitution, Tonga had been ruled by a minority government, and would continue to do so after the reform that was “made to facilitate and complete the devolution of My executive authority as the King of Tonga, to the People.”
George Tupou V believed that with such a form of government neither the Nobles’ Representatives, nor the People's Representatives, nor the Cabinet would dominate parliament. The king repeated this assertion in his speech from the throne on the closing of the 2010 session in September that year.
It was imagined that under such a structure the House would have the voting power over the Cabinet Ministers in Parliament – but therein comes the crunch.
Political parties
After the reform, as members of parliament vied to become Prime Minister, political “parties” became an important part of campaigning. Even though political parties are not officially part of Tonga’s parliamentary system under the Constitution, the formation of these alliances have provided a career path for MPs to become Ministers, and the loyal men win the Cabinet positions awarded by the PM.
Since then, party politics have been a part of Tonga’s General Elections, and even though all candidates must register to stand for parliamentary elections as individuals, but they are at the same time campaigning by aligning themselves with the leaders of unofficial political parties.
The stance of the nobles with regards to party politics is not clear, but under the government of the late Prime Minister Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva and the PATOA Party (2014-2019), there was one Nobles’ Representative in Cabinet.
Today, there are three nobles in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Hon. Rev. Dr Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa, and his People’s Party government.
For the upcoming General Election on November 18 this year, a majority of candidates who are competing for the 17 People’s Representatives seats in the House, are members of political parties.
Undoubtedly, the concept of having a “More Democratic System of Government” is appealing and may be proof of our capability to run our own affairs, build up our economy, educate and employ our people. However, the reality of the situation, if we look at it squarely, is that we have been struggling to remain a free and independent country, and we are becoming more reliant on foreign aid than ever before to keep our economy running.
The major reform that was introduced in 2010 was our latest attempt to maintain Tonga's independence and to manage our own affairs. “Let it be inscribed in the hearts of every Tongan citizen, what you have agreed to carry out, and let every generation from now on rejoice and celebrate the memory of what we have achieved,” stated George Tupou V on that occasion in 2010.
But obviously that inscription by the citizens was half-hearted. Unfortunately, as it stands at the moment the momentum of all the work that had been carried out, leading up to the 2010 reform has been pushed aside.
Tonga's voters are still being urged to be sensible and choose their parliamentary representatives wisely.
Historical Journey
As we are struggling to get that political reform to work in this very difficult time, it might help to have a glance at the long journey we have embarked on since 1901.
Our venture to establish a More Democratic System of Government was set in motion in 1900 when Sir Basil Thomson, came to Tonga from Britain to persuade King Tupou II to sign an exclusive Treaty of Friendship and Protection between Tonga and Britain. The Treaty was ratified in 1901.
Since then, Tonga adopted some elements of the British parliamentary system. In Britain they have two Houses, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Whereas in Tonga we have what we referred to as “two Houses under one roof”, a parliament that is made up of Lords and Common People’s representatives.
HM King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV (1965-2006) had graduated from the University of Sydney with BA and LLB degrees in Arts and Law, first Tongan with a university degree. The new king consolidated his status by ending the British Protective agreement in 1973, and Tonga was then in control of its destiny. It took over the running of its foreign affairs, and coined the saying that “Tonga is an enemy of none but a friend of all”.
When Taufa’ahau Tupou IV passed away on September 11, 2006, he left behind a kingdom in transition, politically, economically and socially.
His eldest son, as King George Tupou V, was ready to navigate Tonga through a political, economic and social reform that had been officially starting to unfold during the reign of his father. He agreed that among the principal political reforms that Tonga needed was transfer of all executive power from the King in Privy Council to Government, and a parliament with a majority elected by universal suffrage, and an independent Judiciary. But Tupou V had perceived that to implement these and other changes, rapidly and peacefully, was a monumental challenge.
“In order to bring about the required changes and retain the popular support of moderate opinion it was necessary to neutralize and dissipate the power and appeal of radicalism, before it had an opportunity to undermine the new democracy,” he told parliament in 2010.
The first General Election under a new Constitutional and Electoral Reform was held on 25 November 2010, and Lord Tu‘ivakano, the No. 1 Nobles’ Representative for Tongatapu was elected by the House as the Prime Minister.
When King George Tupou V died in Hong Kong on 18 March 2012 at the age of 63 years, the succession passed to his younger brother, who ascended the throne as King Tupou VI and was crowned in 2015. He reminded Tongans “to put Tonga's progress first”.
‘Akilisi Pohiva became Prime Minister in 2014. He survived the dissolution of parliament in 2017 to continue as PM with his PATOA government, until his death in 2019.
HM King Tupou VI, responding to petitions concerning His Majesty’s Government, had dissolved Parliament on 24 August 2017, but Tongan voters re-elected the same government on 16 November 2017.
However, after Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva died in September 2019, a new Prime Minister Hon. Rev. Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, and the People’s Party were elected to complete the late PM’s term of office.
Tonga is currently preparing for our next General Election on November 18 2021, and again the King has reminded Tongan citizens to select wisely their representatives to the Tongan Parliament.
Links to references:
16 September 2021: King Tupou VI: Tonga faces many challenges in election year
7 May 2020: King Tupou VI thankful CoViD-19 has not arrived
18 February 2019: 3 Petitions urge King to dissolve parliament again
12 December 2017: Tonga waiting for the next PM
10 November 2017: Who can rescue Tonga from its free-fall?
29 October 2017: Tonga’s November election, a “game changer”
28 August 2017: Speaker counters moves to strip King's Constitutional rights
26 August 2017: King Tupou VI proclaims current govt as Caretaker Government
25 August 2017: King Tupou VI dissolves parliament, commands new election
1 June 2017: King Tupou VI says Tongans capable of confronting challenges in health and education
18 October 2012: Put Tonga's progress first, King reminds parliament
24 March 2012: King George Tupou V, a mover and a shaker who took Tonga into the free world, and sought peaceful reforms
6 October 2010: Address from the Throne at the closing of parliament
6 October 2010: 'We, George Tupou V, by the grace of god of Tonga, king'
2 October 2010: Sadness in quiet closing of parliament 2010
11 June 2010: King opens Legislative Assembly on June 10
20 October 2009: House unites in comfort zone of set culture and tradition
- Pesi Fonua is the Editor and Publisher of Matangi Tonga Online
