House approves $13.77 million for Legislative Assembly [1]
Friday, June 5, 2020 - 20:04. Updated on Friday, June 5, 2020 - 20:57.
From the House, by Pesi Fonua.
After the Tongan Parliament was, for seven days up to Thursday June 4, locked in a tense debate over the preliminary Budget Statement, the House introduced the National Budget and passed the first three vote allocations without any debate at all. The House approved $13.77 million for the running of the Legislative Assembly but the Speaker complained that they had not approved his request for funds to fix the leaking roof.
After the morning tea break yesterday, the Whole House Committee passed the 2020-21 Budget Allocations of the Palace Office, the Attorney General's Office, and the Office of the Ombudsman, before they debated and passed the Legislative Assembly vote allocation.
Unidentified contractors
Before that, they had spent seven working days talking about a proposed deficit of $60 million pa'anga, that was indicated in the preliminary Budget Statement. There were arguments over how government had ventured out on a project for 2100km of roads tarsealing, with three unidentified entities that were offering cheaper gravels than their competitors.
The chairman of the Legislature’s Whole House Committee, Lord Tu'i'afitu decided after morning tea break yesterday, that enough time had been spent on issues in the Budget Statement and it was time for the House to move forward and go over the actual 2020-21 National Budget.
There were requests from the Vava’u No. 14 People’s Representative, Dr Saia Piukala, and the Tongatapu No. 4 People’s Representative, Mateni Tapueluelu, to say something about the Budget Statement but Lord Tu'i'afitu responded that they had to move on and deal with the National Budget.
Surprisingly, after all the days spent on debating the preliminary statement, there was no debate on the specific allocations for the three allocations that were presented first.
The Prime Minister moved for the Palace Budget Allocation of $3,669,100 to be passed.
Also passed were the Budget Allocation of the Attorney General's Office of $2,141,400 and the Office of the Ombudsman of $1,547,900.
Lord Tu'i'afitu declared for the proceedings to go to page 5 of the 2020-21 National Budget – The Vote of the Legislative Assembly.
The Budget allocation for the Legislative Assembly is $13,770,000.
Leaky roof
The Speaker, Lord Fakafanua pointed out that his request for funding for some of his projects was not granted, such as for Youth Parliament and to fix the Parliament building because it is leaking when it rains.
He also proposed for Members of Parliament to have a life insurance, instead of the House having to pay for members to be sent overseas for health treatment.
However, Lord Tu'ivakano pointed out that it would be very difficult for members to have a Life Insurance Policy because of their very poor state of health.
A total of 5% or $460,000 of the House’s Budget Allocation was set-a-side for the COVID-19 response, but the Minster of Finance Hon. Tevita Lavemaau pointed out that, if by November Tonga was still free of COVID-19, the fund would go back into the House’s Budget allocation.
The Budget allocation of $13.77 million pa'anga for the Legislative Assembly was passed.
The Votes still have to have their second and third readings in the Legislature.