From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

The Vava‘u no. 2 People’s Representative, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, is another Member of Parliament who feels that the government’s Economic and Public Sector Reform Program will never work, unless the people are included in the decision-making process.

‘Etuate feels that the People’s Representatives can’t participate in the government decision-making process, and if they can’t,  “Who can?” he asks. “The Ministers do not listen to the representatives of the people.”

If government wanted to solve a problem, they should go and talk to the people who were living in the area affected, because they knew the problems and the solutions. He said he disagreed with the practice of bringing in expensive overseas consultants to find solutions to economic problems.

A few drinks

‘Etuate was elected into the House early this year and considers himself as a champion of the people. “I take action and bring  issues to the attention of the House.

“For example, I presented a Bill to Amend the Criminal Act, to allow the drinking of alcohol in public places, and that was because some young people in Vava‘u were complaining that they had been charged several times, and yet they did not disturb the peace—all they did was to have a few drinks. The Bill was thrown out by the House.”

‘Etuate said he had never worked so hard in his life until he became an MP. During this year’s session, he presented 42 motions to the House, the most of any MP, as well as  a number of Private Member’s Bills, and over 20 letters of inquiry to various government ministries,

He said there was so much that the people wanted him to do, and his strategy was, “if I dump the whole lot into the House in my first year, they will reject some, but I will work on them and get them done during the next two years. Really, there is not much time, and I have presented a Bill for the term in office of town officers, district officers and People’s Representatives to be extended to five years.”

However, ‘Etuate said that the proceedings in the House were frustrating at times. “Today, I was very disappointed with the Minister of Justice. We presented eight Private Members’ Bills and he rejected them all outright. Our Bills are to safeguard the interest of the people. He drafts bills to protect the interest of government.”

‘Etuate said that when a Minister tabled a Bill into the House, it would come to the front and ‘Etuate’s would move down to the bottom of the list.

“I am now convinced that the Ministers should be elected by the people, but I still support the King to appoint his own Prime Minister.”

‘Etuate wants to find solution to social problems. Because of the growing problems of unemployment and the lack of skilled people, he wantd to set up, the Takiama Professional Educational Services, for on-the-job training, in affiliation with the Fiji Institute Technology, in early 2003 in Nuku‘alofa.