Tonga waiting for the next PM [1]
Tuesday, December 12, 2017 - 19:10. Updated on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 - 19:37.
By Pesi Fonua
The dissolution of the Tongan Parliament on 24 August carried a hope that new members of parliament and a new Prime Minister with a new government might be elected to advance the Tongan democratic reform that was introduced in 2010.
But that hope faded with the results of the November 16 snap General Election, when voters re-elected 21 of the 26 members of the dissolved parliament.
More of the same, means that Tonga will remain stuck in the democratic limbo of the last seven years. The problem is not democracy per se but rather the incomplete nature of the 2010 reform, which has failed to evolve into a system that might allow the nation to back emerging and inspirational national leaders, capable of navigating Tonga's difficult journey in a rapidly changing world.
For politicians to simply call themselves "democratic" is not enough to rescue Tonga from its growing whirlpool of apathy, conflicts of interest, poverty, lack of opportunity and environmental degradation, alongside the challenges of climate change and lifestyle change. Something needs to change in the system for those capable people, of whom almost superhuman effort is required, to emerge from the dark shadow of foregone conclusions.
By the end of this week, 17 December we should know who is going to be our next Prime Minister, and also the members of our new Cabinet, the Speaker, and the Deputy Speaker of our Parliament, chosen from the elected representatives.
Urgent desire
The unprecedented dissolution of Parliament by King Tupou VI, leading to a snap General Election a year early, could be interpreted as an urgent desire by the King to encourage Tongans to find a new Prime Minister and a new Cabinet to lead the country.
But instead, the Caretaker Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva along with the nine members of his Caretaker Cabinet were all re-elected:
Nobles
Lord Ma’afu,
People
Dr Saia Piukala,
Mateni Tapueluelu,
Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa,
Semisi Sika,
Penisimani Fifita
Poasi Tei,
Vuna Fa'otusia,
Semisi Fakahau.
The election results suggest that the Caretaker Prime Minister supported by the votes of his nine caretaker Cabinet Ministers plus five affiliated People's Representatives, could easily secure the caretaker government to become the new government with a majority of 15-11, when elected members cast their deciding votes this week or next.
The affiliated PRs are: Veivosa Taka, Mo'ale Finau, Losaline Ma’asi, 'Akosita Lavulavu and Vatau Hui.
The other 11 members of Parliament who are not affiliated with the Tonga Democratic Party are: Samiu Vaipulu, Tevita Lavemaau, Siaosi Sovaleni, Lord Tu'ivakano, Lord Vaha'i, Lord Tu'ilakepa, Lord Tu'i'afitu, Lord Tu'iha'angana, Lord Fakafanua, Lord Nuku, Lord Fusitu'a.
Unanswered question
With the Tonga Democratic Party and its supporters holding a majority in the House after the election, it brings us back to an unanswered question that everyone is asking: Why did the King dissolve Parliament on 24 August?
When His Majesty declared the dissolution of Parliament on 24 August, it was stated that he made his decision based on the advice of the Speaker, Lord Tu'ivakano.
There were a number of issues that Lord Tu'ivakano raised with the King, but the fundamental reason why the King dissolved Parliament on 24 August remains unstated.
The King does not have to explain himself.
In such a situation it means that the voters were kept in the dark over the real reasons for the King's unprecedented action.
Observers, like ourselves, may only speculate.
Party politics
One issue that may have provoked the King to dissolve Parliament was that the House could not proceed with its working agenda because the voting of the members of parliament was no longer based on the consensus for which the system is designed.
With the Tonga Democratic Party members and supporters having a majority in the House it was difficult for parliament to proceed with its decision-making process.
Party politics was not a component of Tonga’s political reform introduced in 2010. The decision-making in parliament is structured for consensus by individual representatives and not for political party affiliation. A member of parliament is elected as a representative of his or her constituency, not as a representative of a political party.
Under the reform, the executive authority of the Kingdom, which used to be with the King in Privy Council and in Cabinet, was transferred to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers.
This means that the people elected into parliament must take full responsibility for running the country – and they no longer need to humbly ask someone else to solve their problems.
While jumping onto the bandwagon of Tonga's Democratic Party, the candidates for the election were aware that their party affiliations do not sit comfortably with the reform. For instance, should a political party in power be able to change its leader and thereby the Prime Minister from within its own ranks during its term of office? The TDP know they can't do that because Tonga does not have a party system.
Party politicking based on self-interest and personal agendas, and the dysfunction of our parliamentary process will continue until Tonga can develop its own form of democratic system relevant to our culture, human resources and capabilities.