Forced resignation, heralds change in finance control [1]
Monday, March 3, 2008 - 09:02. Updated on Thursday, May 1, 2014 - 16:26.
Editor's Comment, By Pesi Fonua
The forced resignation of the Minister of Finance on Monday, February 25 may well be seen as a major step taken by the Tongan government in its pursuit of an economic and a political reform program for Tonga.
The irony of the situation, of course, is the fact that the former Minister of Finance, Siosiua 'Utoikamanu was the architect of the Economic and Public Sector Reform Program that was launched in 2002, and the one that we are still struggling with, with high hopes that it will come to fruition soon.
Siosiua was one of a select number of Ministers of Finance who have been the government's 'main man' during the past three decades.
Under the administrations of former Prime Ministers from the late Prince Tu'ipelehake, to Baron Vaea and to Prince 'Ulukalala (who is now Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka), the ministers of finance remained aloof and in full control of the economy and finance of the country, accountable only to the king.
The former Minister of Finance at one time was also at the same time the Governor of the National Reserve Bank.
Now Hon. Dr Feleti Sevele has become the second Prime Minister to have the privilege of recommending to the king who should be the members of his Cabinet. The first was Prince 'Ulukalala. Understandably, today's Prime Minister wants to be in full control of his Cabinet, and for Cabinet to work as a team.
The Minister of Finance on the other hand from his aloof position in Cabinet, presumably, was not in line with what the wishes of the Prime Minister.
The Minister for Information, Hon. Afu'alo Matoto told the Tonga Broadcasting Commission that the former Minister of Finance was made to resign "because he was out of step with the Prime Minister on numerous issues".
In an unconfirmed report, a whistle blower told us that the Prime Minister recently formed a committee, the Expenditure Review Committee. Members of this committee are the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Minister for Public Enterprises and Information, the Minister for Labour Commerce and Industries and the Chairperson for the Public Service Commission. Each Minister was to present their expenditure for the coming financial year to the committee, in return the committee and the Minister of Finance would make an input into the drafting of the budget for the coming financial year.
Apparently, following the consultative meetings with other cabinet ministers over their estimated expenditure, the Minister of Finance stopped attending meetings of the Expenditure Review Committee. His excuses for not attending ranging from "not in the office" to "he was the only one who has the authority to decide on the budget."
According to the same unconfirmed report, the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister then informed the Minister of Finance that he would either attend the meeting or resign. The response from the Minister of Finance was that, "only the king could make him resign."
On Monday, February 25 the Minister had an audience with King George Tupou V then handed in his resignation.