From the House by Pesi Fonua

Losaline Ma'asi became the first woman parliamentarian to chair the Whole House Committee of the Tonga Legislative Assembly, this week. She was selected by the Speaker of the House Lord Fakafanua

Losaline, the Tongatapu No. 5 People's Representative takes over the chair from Lord Tu'i'afitu, who has been absent from the House since it resumed on Monday, 7 September.

After the Tongan Parliament passed two Bills yesterday, 8 September, the Speaker, Lord Fakafanua deferred the proceeding of the House until 10:00am, Monday 14 September.

18 Bills

However, before the House closed, the Speaker tabled into the House 18 new Bills for members to scrutinise during their short break until 14 September.

The two bills that the House passed yesterday were a Foreign Investment Bill 2020, and an Employment Relations Bill 2020.

The Foreign Investment Bill, according to Hon. Samiu Vaipulu, the Acting Minister of Justice who tabled the Bills into Parliament, has a long journey to where it is today. The Bill had been floating around since 1982. It was eventually passed by the House last year, but after it was tabled to the Privy Council, there were spelling errors, so it was returned, and the errors has been corrected.

The People’s Representative No. 2 for Tongatapu, Semisi Sika expressed his concern that under Section 39 of the Bill, the penalty for an offence by an investor of $10,000 was too low.  He reminded the House that with Foreign Investment in the country “we are talking about millions. The penalty is too low”.

Hon. Samiu expressed his concern that a too high penalty could scare away investors.

The Tongatapu People’s Representative No. 4, Mateni Tapueluelu pointed out that there was no prison sentence. He proposed $50,000, and Hon. Samiu Vaipulu, agreed.

The Chairperson of the Whole House Committee, Losaline Ma’asi called for votes on the Bill and corrections, and it was carried 19-0.

Employment Relations Bill 2020

The next bill for the Whole House Committee to work on was the Employment Relations Bill 2020.

Hon. Samiu Vaipulu told the House that government had been working on the Bill with the International  Labour Organization (ILO) during 2012-2013.

The Tongatapu People’s Representative No. 9 Penisimani Fifita stressed the importance for a trade union to be established, giving workers the opportunity to express their needs.

“We need a trade union,” he stressed.

Hon. Samiu Vaipulu responded that a trade union would come later, “but let's build up the workplace first.”

After the Whole House Committee was dissolved into the Legislature, the Speaker called for votes on the Foreign Investment Bill and the Employment Relations Bill.

They were both passed, each with votes of 18-0.

The Speaker called for the House to close until Monday, 14 September “giving you time to read the 18 Bills.”