by Pesi Fonua

Tonga’s Parliament claimed today that they are working for an extra 30 minutes a week, and they do no’t want the public to get the impression that they are working less because of their new three-day week.

The Deputy Clerk of the House, Sione Tekiteki in a letter to rebutt our story that the House was working less for more pay, stated that the new working hours of the House during Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, are now 9.30 am-12 noon, and 1.30-4.30 pm.

Tea breaks

According to Sione, that is two and a half hours of morning work, including a 15 minutes morning-tea break, and after an hour and a half for lunch they do three hours of afternoon work, including a 30 minutes afternoon tea break. Sione said the tea breaks are calculated as part of the working hours.

By our calculation this makes a total of 16 hours and 30 minutes work a week if you include the tea breaks, or 14 hours and 15 minutes if you don't count the tea breaks as work.

But Sione stressed that under the old four-day week they worked only 16 hours a week, so therefore, "Tonga's parliamentarians have decided to actually work more for the same pay," he said.

"While it is true, that the Legislative Assembly has reduced its sitting days from four to three days, it has at the same time actually increased its working hours from 16 hours a week to 16 and a half hours." He did not elaborate on the old daily working schedule.

More lunch

Sione also said that the Prime Minister Hon. Dr Feleti Sevele, chairing a house business committee, had recommended an 18 hours week, but it was amended to allow the MPs an extra half hour for lunch.

"There was some concern over the lunch period of just one hour and the Peoples' no. 3 Representative for Tongatapu, Clive Edwards asked the House to amend these recommendations to allow for a one and a half hour lunch."

The Tongan Parliament has the authority to decide on its own working hours and how much it should pay its members.

Sione stated that the House is expected to convene into late November, "to make up for the sitting days lost due to the unexpected and tragic events that occurred this year."