House awaits return of Finance Minister [1]
Monday, September 19, 2005 - 17:30. Updated on Saturday, May 3, 2014 - 19:17.
Before it went into recess four weeks ago, the House continued its debate on a Letter from the Prime Minister responding to the House's resolution for Cabinet to action the petition that was presented by the PSA to the House demanding a salary increase and 11 other proposals in order to end the strike.
But the debate was more like a general comment on the letter, which resulted in the Speaker calling for a recess to await the return of the Minister of Finance to answer members questions.
From the House, translation summary by Pesi Fonua.
Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 28, Tuesday August 23, 2005.
- The Royal residence at Tatakamotonga burnt.
- Finance Committee has the leverage to increase government's budget.
- Conflict of interest with the Minister of Finance being a member of the governing body of the National Reserve Bank.
- For Members of Parliament to lead the way and cut their salaries by 50%.
- The Acting Prime Minister insists that the Resolution for Cabinet to action the petition from the PSA strikers should have been a Motion.
- The Speaker moved for the House to go into recess indefinitely, until he informed them on when to reopen. It was carried with votes of 19-2.
Royal residence gutted by fire
A Tongatapu Nobles Representative, Prince Tu'ipelehake, asked the Minister of Police for a report on a house that was set on fire during the night.
The Minister of Police, Noble Nuku said that there was a fire last night at the Royal Residence at Tatakamotonga. There was evidence that it was set on fire, and the place was gutted. Police investigations were going on but there was no leads and no suspects.
The Speaker, Hon. Veikune, reminded the House that there was an understanding the day before with the Acting Prime Minister and the members of the House to strengthen their personal relations and keep things under control while they were trying to find a solution to the strike.
Prime Minister's reply to resolution
The Legislature was dissolved into the Whole House Committee and the Chairman of the Committee took his chair.
The Chairman called for the debate to continue on the reply from the Prime Minister to the Resolution for Cabinet to action the petition that was presented by the PSA demanding a salary increase and 11 other proposals for government to end the strike.
A Ha'apai People's Representative, 'Uliti Uata, wanted to know where was the Minister of Finance. He asked him some questions the day before and he was expecting an answer to some of them before he finished his speech.
The Speaker suggested for the member to wait for the Minister of Finance to return, but to allow someone else to speak on something else.
Petition
On a different issue, 'Uliti said that the PSA's letter of petition that was presented to the House on August 16 had 11 proposals. He said that the first proposal was for government and the PSA's negotiation team to agree on an umpire to come in and pass a decision on the confrontation. He wanted to know if the two parties had agreed.
The Acting Prime Minister, Hon Cecil Cocker, said that the two parties had agreed and the arbitrator should arrive during the week, but he would let the Minister of Justice give him the details.
The Minister of Justice, Hon. Siaosi 'Aho, said that both parties had agreed for a New Zealand retired judge, Thomas Goddard. He said that once he arrived in Tonga they would then set the perimeters for the negotiation, acceptable to both parties.
A Tongatapu People's Representative, 'Akilisi Pohiva, wanted to know if the judge would find that the striking civil servants were right, how would they then penalize government, who had made a mistake?
Prince Tu'ipelehake wanted to know if the member's question was "how was government going to punish itself"?
'Akilisi replied that that was exactly what he meant.
Prince Tu'ipelehake reminded the member that government does not punish itself, it is a responsibility of the House.
The Minister of Police called on the Speaker to use his authority in controlling the debate. In reference to what 'Akilisi was saying he suggested to allow the arbitrator to complete his findings, and then make a decision.
Member's queries
'Uliti Uata on a different matter, wanted to know the where abouts of the Minister of Finance.
The Acting Prime Minister said that the Cabinet met the evening before until very late and the Minister was still trying to find answers to some of the member's queries.
'Uliti queried the government's spending of $2.8 million to purchase the barge, 'Otu Tonga.
Prince Tu'ipelehake said that the member was talking on things that were not relevant to their debate. He suggested for the debate to focus on the reply from government to their resolution and on the 11 proposals that were outlined in the resolution.
Funds for salary rise
'Uliti Uata said that it was clear from the Prime Minister that government did not have the financial means to meet the salary rise that was demanded by the strikers.
The Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Cecil Cocker, reminded the members that that was why he suggested for the resolution to be given to the Finance Committee because it has the authority to increase the budget, and to allocate funds to meet the salary rise.
'Uliti expressed his concern over how government was using the National Reserve Bank, where the Minister of Finance is a member of its governing body. He said that in the past whenever government was in need of money it sold bonds from the Reserve Bank but that was not the case this time.
The Acting Prime Minister said that following the presentation of the petition from the striking Civil Servants, the PSC re-evaluated their work and came out with the figure of $5 million that was needed. He said that three million could be raised by re-allocating figures within the budget of ministries, so two million was the figure that had to be raised, and he was not too sure if the Minister of Finance would ask for a supplementary budget. He again stressed his belief that the House rushed into voting on the resolution rather than carefully studying the petition and processing it through the proper channel, through the Finance Committee. He did not considered the resolution to be a resolution, because he said it was incomplete.
Reserve Bank
'Uliti said that there was definitely something wrong with the way the country was run, when the Minister of Finance was a member of the Board of Governors of the Reserve Bank. He suggested for the Reserve Bank to sell $10 million worth of Bonds to pay for the salary rise that was demanded by the Civil servants.
The Acting Prime Minister thought that the real issue that the member was trying to get at was a conflict of interest because the proposal for the Reserve Bank to sell bonds would be blocked by the Minister.
The Minister of Police proposed that if the issue was for government to save money in order to pay the salary rise of Public Servants then he suggested for members to lead the way by agreeing to cut their salaries by 50%.
The Acting Prime Minister insisted on his point that the Resolution was not a resolution but a motion.
The Chairman told the minister that his point had been recognized but the reply letter from the Prime Minister that they were debating was to a Resolution and not to a Motion.
Prince Tu'ipelehake said that since few members of the House wanted the Minister of Finance to answer some of their queries he suggested for the House to go into recess, awaiting his return.
The Minister of Justice asked 'Uliti Uata, that if the House would go on recess for him to find the Resolution and see if there was a clause there about finding money.
A Vava'u People's Representative, Samiu Vaipulu, with a different view on the issue pointed out that because the matter that they were debating was a resolution Cabinet had no option but to action the petition. If on the other hand it was a motion then it would have to follow the route of going to the Finance Committee, which would then make a decision.
Acting Prime Minister said that the resolution was unrealistic and what they had asked for was similar to telling the Cabinet to move the moon down to this new position, and then and fire us off on a rocket into the heaven. He said that that was basically what they were asking for.
Samiu said that the reason why they were Cabinet Ministers was to make decisions, and if you could not then were you there. He said that the House could not make those kind of decisions because they did not collect tax
Cut budgets
Noble Veikune said that the PSA suggested for ministries to cut their budget, and to take away the allocation for things like the building of new Royal Chapel, the buying of new vehicles, a national university, etc. He said that in their calculation, money to be collected from these would be sufficient for their salary rise. He said that the authority to do that was with the House if it was recommended by the Finance Committee.
The Acting Prime Minister thanked the Speaker that finally someone understood what he has been trying to explain, that there was no reason for the House to rush off a resolution to Cabinet demanding action, when in reality the House has the authority.
Veikune said that the situation where they have found themselves was best described by the Tongan saying "That we are beating the can (kane), but it is too late." Referring to things that you did, but you wish you did not do.
Samiu Vaipulu reminded the House that it was Veikune who proposed for a Resolution then it was moved by Prince Tu'ipelehake.
Recess
Veikune moved for the House to go into recess indefinitely for a number of reasons, first that the arbitrator was arriving that evening and he reminded the House that the Minister of Finance was in the negotiation team of the government. He said that a British parliamentary team was arriving on August 30 and they would be paying courtesy calls to many ministries. He said that he would inform them of when the House would be opened again.
The Acting Prime Minister made a point for all to know that government was not paying for the arbitrator.
The Chairman called for votes on Veikune's motion for the House to go into recess indefinitely until he informed them. It was carried 19-2. Against were 'Uliti Uata and Lepolo Taunisila.
The Committee dissolved into Legislature and the Speaker called for votes on the motion that was passed in the committee. It was carried 19-2.