From the House by Pesi Fonua.

When parliament opened today, Wednesday March 13, noticeably missing were the seven Nobles’ Representatives: Lord Tu'ivakano, Lord Vaha'i, Lord Tu'ilakepa, Lord Tu'iha'angana, Lord Tu'i'afitu, Lord Nuku and Lord Fusitu'a. 

The Speaker, Lord Fakafanua told the House that the Nobles would return if there was to be a public consultation over the six Bills that government had tabled to the House as being urgent, and which were later withdrawn.

The six Bills include two to amend the Constitution. The Nobles were fully convinced that the public should be consulted on these.

The scheduled opening of today's sitting of Parliament at 10:00 am this morning was adjourned for 15 minutes because the House did not have a Quorum of 13 members.

But 15 minutes later the House had its Quorum, and the proceedings of the House began.

The Speaker, Lord Fakafanua told members that the proceeding would continue where they left off the day before in the Whole House Committee.

All the People’s Representatives were present; and all Cabinet Ministers were present, except for the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Semisi Lafu Sika.

The only two Nobles present this morning were the Speaker, Lord Fakafanua and the Minister of Land, Natural Resources and His Majesty’s Army, Lord Ma'afu Tukui'aulahi.

The Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva congratulated the Speaker for his leadership, and Lord Ma'afu Tukui'aulahi for his presence. He also congratulated all the seven People’s Representatives for their presence.

He told the House that he would table back to parliament in the afternoon the six bills that government had withdrawn "for public dialogue over the radio".

He reminded the House that the six bills would be accompanied with a letter informing the House that they were urgent matters for the House to deal with immediately.

People's Rep Siaosi Sovaleni, however, expressed his full support of the Nobles’ Representatives with their demand that there should be a proper public consultation over the six bills.

The member also reminded the House that he was only attending this morning's session to table a letter of petition from the Tonga College Old Boys. The petition was tabled into parliament during lunch time and Siaosi Sovaleni did not attend parliament for the rest of the day.

During today’s session the House passed the Tonga Development Bank Bill 2019, the Public Enterprises Bill 2019, the District and Town Officer Bill 2019.