The Tonga Legislative Assembly may open its 2018 session this week on Thursday January 11 to swear in the new members, according to a source. If that happens, the Prime Minister is expected to attend.

However, no official confirmation of the date of the opening was available from the Office of Parliament today.

It is understood that the Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva, who is currently a patient in the Intensive Care Unit at Vaiola Hospital, will leave the hospital briefly for the swearing in ceremony at parliament, before going back into intensive care. He is being treated for what his doctors reported is a "temporary ailment", after taking ill last week.

Constitution

At the inaugural session of Parliament, the new MPs and Cabinet Ministers are expected to take their oaths.

The Tongan Constitution (2010) requires that "the Prime Minister shall take his oath before the Legislative Assembly at its first sitting."

The Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga state that for the swearing in of new members and new Ministers that, "At the first sitting of the Legislative Assembly, the Prime Minister shall introduce any new members or new Ministers to the Speaker."

Government has not officially announced the names of Hon. Pohiva's proposed new Cabinet Ministers.

There has been no official indication to date on whether or not King Tupou VI has given his approval to the proposed new Cabinet.