Police Minister threatens to impeach Acting Speaker [1]
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 - 13:06. Updated on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 - 22:39.
From the House By Pesi Fonua
The Tonga Parliament ended Tuesday’s session in a tense mood, after the Acting Speaker, Lord Tu‘ilakepa announced that the Prime Minister’s six “Urgent Bills” would have to go to the House’s Standing Committee on Legislation; and the Minister of Police, Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu threatened to impeach him.
The Acting Speaker’s decision was based on Clause 33 (a) of the Rules of Procedure of the Tongan Parliament. In the Tongan version of the House’s Rules of Procedure, it spelled out that the Prime Minister has to (Fakamo’oni) prove that a matter is urgent.
The Prime Minister, however, has not been able to prove to the House that the Bills are urgent.
Under the House’s Rules of Procedure the Bills may be with the Standing Committee for two weeks before they may progress through the House.
The House was scheduled to close on 14 March but the Prime Minister requested an extension until the 27 March, so that the House could pass the six Bills.
During yesterday's afternoon proceedings in the House (March19), the Prime Minister verbally spelled out the reasons why he thought the Bills are urgent, as it was demanded by the Speaker. "A government will function according to its vision, accordng to the laws it drafted. We have been waiting to activate these bills, so that we can perform." He said that a letter would follow, detailing the reasons.
A letter was tabled into the House, but it was from the Minister of Justice, Hon. Vuna Fa’otusia, not from the Prime Minister, outlining why the Minister thought the Bills were urgent.
The Speaker expressed his surprise that the letter was not from the Prime Minister and he emphasised that the Bills would be handed over to the House’s Standing Committee on Legislation.
He also responded to Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu announcement that the Cabinet would impeach him. “You take legal action if you want to!” said the Speaker.