Start – Stop for the Tongan Parliament [1]
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 - 19:45. Updated on Friday, March 9, 2018 - 05:20.
From the House by Pesi Fonua
After a rush by the Tonga Government to hold a parliament session yesterday 5 March in order to address the urgent needs of the country, it was decided that Parliament will have a two-day break as the Kingdom receives New Zealand’s Prime Minister Hon. Jacinda Ardern who arrives tonight for a one-day visit. Parliament will resume on Thursday 8 March.
The Parliament session is considered by many to be long overdue because of the recent spate of turbulent events in Tonga; the poor health of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, the devastating impact of Cyclone Gita on the lives of people in Tongatapu and ‘Eua, and the resignation and arrest of Cabinet Ministers.
The opening of Parliament’s new venue at the Tonga National Centre yesterday 5 March, comes three weeks after the destruction of Tonga’s 125-year-old Parliament Building by Cyclone Gita. Following the devastation, The Speaker of the House Lord Fakafanua initially announced that parliament would be relocated to the Fa’onelua Convention Centre. The venue was changed to the Tonga National Centre a week ago.
Issues raised in Parliament
The opening of Tonga’s new parliament venue was marked with a prayer led by Rev. Dr ‘Ahio, the President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.
Most of the parliament session was focused on a report presented by Hon. Poasi Tei, the Minister for the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC).
The report authored by the National Emergency Management Office NEMO, outlined the damage that Gita had inflicted on the country, its estimated cost, and the amount of aid flowing into the country from donor countries and international organisations.
Hon. Poasi Tei said that more than 4000 houses were damaged by Cyclone Gita. He added that straight after the cyclone, his Ministry initially estimated the cost of damage to be $40m but this figure later rose.
Poasi Tei stated in Tongan “…later after actually visiting the sites the estimated cost of damage went up to $64m. The initial estimated cost of damage to the electricity supply was $20m but it has gone up to $28m.”
Tongatapu People’s Representative No. 5 Losaline Ma’asi, expressed her concern for damages caused to agricultural root crops such as manioke, a staple diet and source of revenue for many Tongan farmers. She suggested that government consider compensating these people for their losses, not only as a source of food but also as a source of income.
On a different issue, Vava’u People’s Representative No. 15, Samiu Vaipulu queried why government had not responded to his request in January for a financial report of last year’s caretaker government (24 August- 18 December). Hon. Vaipulu also requested a response from Government as to what happened to an $11m Emergency Fund that Government had budgeted at the end of 2014.
The Minister of Finance, Hon. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa responded to Vaipulu, stating that the details of what happened to the $11m Emergency Fund and a financial report of the caretaker government in 2017 would be presented to the House in the next parliamentary session.
Tevita Lavemaau, the People’s Representative for ‘Eua, suggested that Government should use the revenue that it had collected to host the 2019 Pacific Games to rebuild Tonga’s economy.
Lavemaau further suggested that Government remove all taxes on imports, and the Consumption Tax. He also called for the removal of school fees from all public schools, and for government to pay whole year school fees of children attending Church schools.
Lord Tu’ilakepa, the Nobles’ Representative No. 2 for Vava’u, queried the inclusion of 12 damaged houses in Ha’apai in the minister’s report. Hon. Poasi Tei explained that the 12 houses were located at ‘Otumu’omu’a – islands on the Ha’apai southern groups of islands and that they were also affected by Gita.
As the Parliamentary proceedings were getting close to the end of the day, the Minister of Health Hon. Saia Piukala conveyed to the Speaker a request from the Prime Minister for the House to close down for two days until Thursday, 8 March. He said that the New Zealand Prime Minister will be in Tonga with a delegation on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Lord Tu’ilakepa, the Deputy Speaker of the House thought that the New Zealand Prime Minister and her delegation would be interested to see the Tongan Parliament in session. The Speaker responded that the New Zealand Prime Minister will visit parliament, “but no members”.
Lord Tu’ilakepa expressed his disappointment, that it was a waste of effort and money to fix the National Centre in such a hurry so that they could have parliament in session but then they have to close for two days. He told the House that the amount of money that they had spent to fix the National Centre, could put the roofs back on some of the school that they have to have classes in tents for months. He reminded members that the House would be closed again on the 15th of this month.
Lord Tu’ivakano reminded the Speaker that he is supposed to be an “Iron Chair”. The Speaker, Lord Fakafanua declared the House closed until Thursday, 8 March.