From the House by Pesi Fonua

Deliberations by the Tongan Parliament over a motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva continued on its Stop-Start track when the Speaker Lord Tu’ivakano deferred further consideration and voting on the motion to Monday, 27 February.

Today’s short session, outside of the weekly working schedule of the House, was requested by the Speaker, to complete the process of the House hearing the response of the Prime Minister to the Motion for a Vote of No Confidence.

The proceedings of the House were deferred from Tuesday, 21 February, until 2pm yesterday, 23 February, for the respondr of the PM to be read in the House.

The PM’s response could not be read because it contained alleged defamatory remarks that he refused to remove. But at yesterday’s session he agreed to make the changes, but it would take a while, so it was agreed for government to defer its regular Friday morning Cabinet Session so that the response of the PM could be read in the House today.

Following the reading of the PM’s response, he moved for the House to vote on the Motion.

He pointed out that it is a very busy time for the country which is preparing for the funeral Queen Mother Mata’aho Halaevalu.

The PM denied all the claims of wrong doings that were highlighted in the motion.

The only issue that he appeared to be a bit soft on, related to the reallocating of the responsibilities of committees to oversee the running of the 2019 Pacific Games, and he said there were legal issues to be settled.

Lord Tu’ilakepa pleaded for more time for the House to deliberate over the response of the PM. He asked to defer the motion until Monday, as scheduled.

The Speaker called for the House to close until Monday.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni raised a question. How about if their legal adviser raised a point, that today was the fifth day for the House to preside over the motion for a Vote of No Confidence on the PM, and not Monday 27 February?

The Speaker declared the House closed until  10 am Monday, 27 February.