From the House by Pesi Fonua

An attempt by the former Minister of Finance, Lisiate 'Akolo, to make a direct in-put into the 2014-15 National Budget with nine Motion Resolutions that he tabled into the Tongan parliament on 24 March, was deflected by the Minister of Justice, Hon. Clive Edwards.

Hon. Clive Edwards on 1 April moved for the motions to be sent to Cabinet for its deliberation, instead of presenting them to be debated in the Whole House Committee.

Clive explained that the Standing Committee on Finance and Public Accounts deals with matters which were already in a budget, but some of the issues raised in Lisiate's Motion Resolutions were proposed expenses for government to finance, and therefore it should go to government first.

The Minister of Finance, Hon. 'Aisake Eke agreed with Clive, and told the House that some of the issues raised were already mentioned in reports of members during their national tours.

Lisiate, however, clarified his intention, which was for government to inform the Standing Committee on Finance and Public Accounts to take into consideration some of the issues he raised while they were drafting the new budget.

Lisiate Motion Resolutions, however, changed their form as they proceeded through the Tongan parliament.

In Legislature on 31 March they were changed from Motion Resolutions to Parliamentary Motions. Then after they were lowered to the Whole House Committee they were quietly moved out to Cabinet without even being debated, with a vote of 18-0.

Normally, with Motion Resolutions, once they are approved by parliament, the government has to implement them. But parliamentary motions, on the other hand, will be presented to government for their deliberation.

No sparks

Lisiate's motions presented some interesting issues, and considering he was forced out of office as the Minister of Finance after he refused to resign in early January, his attempt to make some direct input into the new budget would have sparked off some interesting debate in the Whole House Committee.

Lisiate was forced out of office as the Minister of Finance in early January because of his reluctance to action a Cabinet decision to implement the 5% COLA for all public servants, including members of parliament.

Among Lisiate's Parliamentary Motions were a motion for Government to present to parliament a report of its lease agreement of the MA60 aircraft to the Real Tonga Airlines.

Lisiate reminded the House that government awarded the Real Tonga Airlines a number of concessions in order for the domestic airfares to be lower than that of a New Zealand airline before them, but instead airfares had increased to be just the same as that of the Chathams.

The government's concession to the Real Tonga Airlines included:

- Contracting Real Tonga Airlines to operate the MA60 aircraft without tendering it publicly.

- Awarding a very low hourly commercial rate for a commercial aircraft, lower than the normal rate.

- Government paying the Withholding Tax of the Real Tonga Airline from the government budget of 2013-2014.

- Exempting the Real Tonga Airline from paying the 15% Consumption Tax.

- Exempting the Real Tonga Airline from paying its August 2013 lease to government.

Lisiate also proposed for Government in the new budget to allocate $50,000 for Constituents No. 12 and no. 13; a $1 million for disabled persons; a $1 million allocation to subsidize the traveling expenses of students on buses and boats to schools; for pensioners to be included in the 5% COLA for public servants; travel allowances for Town and District officers; for Town and District officers to be included in the government retirement fund scheme; for Vava'u to have a Master Road Plan and a share of the Chinese currency RMB25 million aid fund that Tonga and China signed on Nov 2013; and for the Sia'atoutai Theological School of the Free Wesleyan Church to receive some financial assistance from government.