Six staff from Constituents Fund Division of the Tongan Parliament leave for New Zealand this week to learn how New Zealand Constituency offices work to support their members of Parliaments and their local communities.

Dr Sione Vikilani from the Tongan Parliament said they are visiting the New Zealand Parliament to observe how the New Zealand Constituency Offices operate.

He explained that the Constituency Allocations are in the control of a Constituency Allocations Division of the House, and they are responsible for the releasing of funds to a constituency. The learning visit to New Zealand will enlighten staff of the House on how Constituency Allocations are managed.

Staff will also travel on a study tour of the Constituency Office in Australia in the near future.

$200,000

Under the current $599.27 million Pa’anga 2019-2020 National Budget, the Constituency Allocations for each of the 17 constituents is $200,000. It is the biggest since the reform in 2010.

During the debate on the current National Budget, there was a proposal for the Constituency Allocations to increase so that the nine Nobles Representatives in Parliament could have access to $100,000 to meet the needs of their communities, which are bigger in number than any of the constituencies. The proposition was debated but it not approved.

Despite the effort to make sure that the Constituency Allocations are not used by the People Representatives to campaign for the coming election, there remains a public perception that the Constituency Allocations have been used to campaign for the next election.

The concept of Constituency was introduced into Tonga’s structure of government when Tonga embarked on a “More Democratic System of Government” reform process in 2010.

The Kingdom of Tonga was divided up into five groups of islands, Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Ha’apai, Vava’u and the Niuas. Based on the population of each group, Tongatapu is made up of 10 Constituencies, ‘Eua, 1; Ha’apai, 2; Vava’u 3 and the two Niuas, Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou 1.

Prior to the more democratic reform, members of parliament toured the country annually to get in touch with the grass roots. While on their annual tours members were given allowances, which they contributed as tokens to feasting and entertaining that the people provide dto welcome the members of parliament. With the structure of government that we had in those days, Cabinet Ministers did not participate in these annual tours.

Since the launch of the More Democratic System of Government in 2010, with a new Electoral System the Annual Tour Allowances of members of parliament started to increase, and the Annual Tour of the Constituencies was considered as an election campaign by members of parliament. The concern continue to mount as the Constituency Fund continue to increase.

Under the current National Budget, the 17 People’s Representatives have access to $200,000 each from the Constituency Fund.