From the House by Pesi Fonua

Tonga's Justice Minister called “What shall we do? War?” during a heated confrontation between government and the Nobles Representatives over proposed distribution of more than $4 million in constituency funds to be allocated for MPs to spend, in the Tongan Parliament yesterday, 26 June.

The Minister of Justice and Prisons, Hon. Vuna Fa‘otusia was opposed to Nobles’ Representatives having a share of the multi-million pa'anga Constituency Fund.

The 17 People’s Representatives are allocated $200,000 each from the Constituency Fund annually. They were debating a proposal for the Nobles Representatives to also receive a $100,000 allocation each.

The proposed increase in the Constituency Fund will enable members to have offices, staff, and computers. It will also enable the nine Noble’s Representatives to have an allocation of $100,000 each to meet any needs of the people in their estates. Previously, the Noble's Representatives did not receive allocations from the fund.

It was the second day in a row that government and their supporters, and the Nobles’ Representatives and their supporters locked heads over a proposal by the House’s Standing Committee on Finance to increase the Budget allocation of the Legislative Assembly by $1.1 million, and to increase the Constituency Fund allocation to enable all nine Nobles’ Representatives and the 17 People’s Representatives “to work together”.

The current $3.4 million allocation for 17 People’s Reps, plus the proposed increase of $900,000 for the nine nobles, would bring the Constituency Fund allocation to at least $4.3 million.

What this means is that all representatives will get large allocations from the National Budget to spend as political handouts.

The Constituency Fund was started as pocket money for MPs to support constituents’ projects during their annual tours of their electorates. The allocation has grown from a few hundred pa'anga to $200,000 for each People’s Representative over the last decade.

Cash reserve

Now, according to the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, Tevita Lavemaau, a former Minister of Finance, government has a cash reserve of $85 million.

The Minister of Finance reminded the House that government has an operations account of $85 million, including three months of operational costs in reserve. The government’s monthly operational costs amount to $30 million pa'anga.

However, the Standing Committee’s proposition to increase the Constituency Fund met with strong opposition, led by the Prime Minister Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva, Cabinet Ministers and their supporters. The Prime Minister was convinced that the People’s Reps are in the House to build the country, while the Nobles’ Representatives’ traditional role was to look after the land.

Another perspective, stressed by the Minister for Trade, Hon. Dr Tu‘i Uata, was that because the 17 People’s Representatives were elected by the People, they were “taliui” or answerable to the people, but because the Nobles’ Representatives were elected by Tonga’s 34 nobles they were answerable only to the 34 nobles.

People's Representative Siaosi Sovaleni, reminded Hon. Uata that because Uata was appointed by the Prime Minister as an unelected Cabinet Minister he was answerable only to the Prime Minister.

Reform divisive

Lord Tu‘ilakepa however, expressed his belief that Tonga’s Democratic Reform had gone astray. He stressed that the Tongan Parliament, made up of 17 members elected by the people, and nine elected by the nobles were supposed to work in unity under one House.

The House, however, had split up and there was a political party in the mix. He stressed that Tonga’s supposedly “democratic” system is not working.

Lord Fakafanua observed that what he called the eight “richest countries in the world” had achieved their ranking not because of their democratic status, but by being united and using their natural wealth wisely. According to Lord Fakafanua those countries are: 1. Qatar (they have recently a parliament for the first time), 2. Singapore, 3. Brunei Darussalam, 4. Kuwait, 5. United Arab Emirates, 6. Luxembourg, 7. Switzerland, 8. Hong Kong.

Lord Fakafanua, reminded the House that Tonga was the only place in the whole world where land is given out for free.

It was at this point of the proceedings that the Minister of Justice and Prisons, Hon. Vuna Fa‘otusia queried: “What shall we do? War?”

The House went quiet.

There was no response from anybody, then the Chairman of the Whole House Committee, announced for the House to break for afternoon tea.

Following afternoon tea Lord Nuku queried the call for “War”. He expressed his dismay over why the government does not want nobles to get involved in the distribution of the Constituency Fund to people who are living on their lands.

Today, Thursday, June 27 is the last day for passing the National Budget before the start of the new financial year on July 1. The House is expected to debate the Budget Allocations for the Ministries.