From the House by Pesi Fonua

Tonga's Parliament repealed the Pacific Games Organizing Act 2013 in the early hours of this morning, June 29, before passing Tonga’s biggest national budget for 2017-18.

In Legislature, the Pacific Games Organizing Act 2013 was repealed in its second and third reading with 13-10 votes.

Then Tonga’s national budget of more than $590 milliion pa’anga was passed with 15-9 votes in its second and third readings.

But the Tongan Parliament had to work overtime last night from 6:00pm until after mid-night to pass its budget.

It was a marathon session for members, and there were a few tense moments, but the Chairman of the Whole House Committee, Hon. Veivosa Light of Day Taka, at the onset advised members that the rule of proceedings for the night was that “a member can sneak off and run away home, but the proceedings of the House will continue until the end.”

However, toward the end of the long night, four or five ministries votes were lumped together and passed, making it very difficult to establish the final figures of Tonga’s biggest national budget ever. It was a historical effort for the Tongan Parliament within one session to pass the national budget.

The Tongan Parliament will break, while the People Representatives will go on a tour of their Constituencies from July 10-21.

Parliament will reconvene on July 31.