From the House by Pesi Fonua

The Tongan Parliament resumed its 2020 -2021 session yesterday, Monday 7 September, after deferring parliament several times since it passed the Annual Budget on 18 June.

Noticeably absent from the House yesterday, were the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Vuna Fa’otusia, the Tongatapu No. 3 Nobles’ Representative, Lord Vaha’i and the Niuafo’ou and Niuatoputapu re-elected Nobles’ representative, Lord Fusitu’a.

However, during the Roll Call of members of parliament, the House was informed that the Electoral Commissioner had not formally advised Parliament of the result of the August 31 by-election for the Niuas nobles seat previously held by Lord Fusitu’a.

The Electoral Commissioner, Pita Vuki though had already publicly announced that Lord Fusitu’a had won back his seat.

During today’s session the House passed three Bills. They were the:

1. Water Bill 2020
2. Mental Health Bill 2020
3. Food Bill 2020.

The Revenue Collection Bill was returned from the Privy Council to be amended, so that a Head of a Tribunal, who may oversee any dispute over the Revenue Collection Act, was to be the Chief Justice, and not a Cabinet Minister.

The Speaker, Lord Fakafanua announced that the Bill had to be submitted to the Finance Standing Committee.

Before the House passed these Bills, the Prime Minister informed the House that the King in Privy Council had also enacted a Road Bill and a Traffic Bill that he presented to the House as urgent bills. These Acts would be enforced in October.

PM's Motion

The House debated a motion that was tabled by the Prime Minister to amend Clause No. 125 of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative so that a Cabinet Minister may submit a Bill into the House as a member of the House.

The current practice is that a Cabinet Minister can only table a Bill into the House as a Government Bill. Only members of parliament who are not Cabinet Ministers can table a Private Member’s Bill to the House.

Hon. Samiu Vaipulu, the Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development reminded the House that it was only during the 1990s, that a member had the right to table a Bill into the House. The practice had been that Bills were tabled into Parliament by Cabinet Ministers.

After a few verbal exchanges, the Speaker agreed with a proposal by the Tongatapu No. 4 People’s Representative, Mateni Tapueluelu, for the House to seek a second opinion on the PM’s Motion.