The Tonga Government will respect the decisions of the courts on electoral petitions, the Prime Minister, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, stated today after the Supreme Court voided the election of his Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Poasi Tei this morning.

Hon. Tei is the fourth MP and third Cabinet Minister to have his seat voided by the court.

The Prime Minister made his statement after the May 16 date set by the Speaker for unseating members, in line with the court decisions, was deferred today “until further notice”.

The Chief Clerk of the Legislative Assembly announced earlier today that, “The deferral was allowed upon request from the Government for more time in order to complete work with respect to the Budget Estimates for the Year 2022/2023. The date of the next meeting of the Legislative Assembly is subject to notification.”

Considering options

Meanwhile, Hon Hu’akavameiliku stated that Cabinet will continue to carry out its work “as he considers options moving forward” and that “all Members of Parliament who have lost their cases in court also have the constitutional rights to appeal their cases if they so want to.”

“Cabinet continued [sic] to work on government’s programs and the arms of government will continue to be of service to the people of Tonga,” he said. 

“We are looking at what is the best option on the way forward for government at this time and we will announce those once everything has been done and the law has been followed.”

Hon. Tei was Tonga’s Minister for MEIDECC and will be the third cabinet minister to lose his seat following last year’s November General Election.

Minister of Finance Tatafu Moeaki will lose his Tongatapu 4 People’s Representative seat after the court last week declared his election void, and Tongatapu 7 PR, Sione Sangster Saulala, the Minister of Internal Affairs also had his election declared void. Former PM Tongatapu 10 PR, Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa also had his election voided.

Two further election petitions are pending in the courts.