The House remains quiet as a mouse [we know they are around, but they can't be heard].

From the House, By Pesi Fonua

After the Tongan Parliament was told that its 2022 proceedings would not close as planned on 8 December, and that its session would continue, 'twas clear just before Christmas, that all through the House not an MP was stirring...

Even up to now, in the second week of 2023, we still do not know what happened to the expected meetings, after the Clerk of the House on 6 December announced a change to the Legislature's annual Christmas break, stating:

“The Legislative Assembly’s current session will not close on 8 December 2022. Instead, the House will continue to sit as required in order to deal with parliamentary businesses. The current session will therefore run into the year 2023.”

So why was there a sudden change in the working schedule of the House?

The reason has not been explained and there are a number of possibilities. According to the public record, the Legislative Assembly in 2022 has enacted only one piece of legislation. The Attorney General’s Office list of Principal and Amending Acts passed in 2022 [2], shows one enactment, the essential 2022/23 Appropriation Act 2022. Of course, the Act had to be passed or the public service would not get paid.

Presumably, the decision for the House not to close on 8 December 2022 was made because for the whole year only one act was enacted, compared to 16 pieces of legislation that received the Royal Assent in 2021.

Since the Speaker confirmed that the Tongan Parliamentary session would continue, as required, it would also be easy to assume that parliamentarians did not have a break for Christmas and New Year.

But the House just before Christmas, was as quiet as a proverbial mouse [we know they are around, but they can't be heard].

Standing Committees

When Matangi Tonga checked with Hon. 'Aisake Valu Eke, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, he confirmed that Members of Parliament had taken a break over Christmas and the New Year and the House had not met since it adjourned in the first week of December. Some Standing Committees had been working.

“The House is still running but there has been no meeting.

“There has been no formal notice of when we are going to resume...of when we are going to meet,” he said on January 6.

Hon. Eke, confirmed that the Standing Committee of Finance had been working and paid as usual, the same with other Standing Committees, even though the House was not meeting.

“They [committees] are still meeting and our standing committee is dealing with the petition”.

He was referring to a petition from the Tonga National Construction Inc. [3], urging Parliament to increase the budget estimation provided by the government’s Project Management Unit for the Tsunami House Reconstruction Project.

The petition was tabled by the Tongatapu no. 2 Noble’s Representative, Hon. Tu’ivakano, and himself, as the Tongatapu no. 5 People’s Representative, before the House adjourned.

He said the Standing Committee on Finance also had other issues to deal with.

“Officially there has been no parliament meeting, only the standing committees are meeting.

“There has been no communication connection with the Speaker on information when there will be the next meeting of the House.”

The last that they heard, was they would be informed if there will be a meeting of the House.

The House’s 10 Standing Committees and their members are:

Standing Committee for Legislation:

• Chairman, Taniela Fusimalohi. Members, Lord Fakafanua, Lord Tu‘ivakano, Hon. Latu, Hon. Vaipulu, Eke, and the Attorney General.
• Reserve Members: Nobles Reps., Lord Kalaniuvalu Fotofili, Lord Vaea; Cabinet Mins., Hon. Sovaleni; People’s Reps., Fasi, and Tu‘i‘onetoa.

Standing Committee on Agenda:

• Chairman, Lord Fakafanua; Members, Lord Tu‘iha‘angana, Hon. Sovaleni, Eke and Puloka.
• Reserve Members, Nobles Reps: Lord Tu‘ilakepa and Lord Nuku. Cabinet Mins. No one, People’s Reps., Taka and Tu‘i‘onetoa.

Standing Committee for Legislative Assembly Privileges:

• Chairman, Lord Vaea; Members, Lord Tu‘iha‘angana, Hon. Vaipulu, Hon. Latu, Fusimalohi and Fasi.
• Reserve members, Nobles Reps., Lord Tu‘ilakepa and Lord Tu‘ivakano. Cabinet Mins., Dr Piukala and Lord Tu‘i‘afitu. People’s Reps., Eke and Tu‘i‘onetoa.

Standing Committee on Finance:

• Chairman, Hon. ‘Aisake Valu Eke; Members, Lord Fakafanua, Lord Vaea, Tu‘i‘onetoa and the Auditor General.
• Reserve members, Nobles Reps., Lord Nuku and Lord Fohe; Cabinet Mins., Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni and Hon. Vaipulu; People’s Reps., Fusimalohi and Fasi.

Standing Committee on Social Affairs:

• Chairman, Hon. Tevita Fakahefi Puloka; Members, Lord Vaea, Lord Fohe, Saia Ma’u Dr Piukala and Fasi;
• Reserve Members, Nobles Reps., Lord Nuku and Lord Kalaniuvalu Fotofili; Cabinet Mins., Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni and Hon. ‘Utoikamanu; People’s Reps., Hui and Taka.

Standing Committee on the Environment and Climate Change:

• Chairman, Lord Tu’ivakano; Members, Lord Nuku, Hon. ‘Utoikamanu, Lord Hui and Taka.
• Reserve Members, Lord Fakafanua and Hon. Tu‘ilakepa; Cabinet Ministers: Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, Lord Tu‘i‘afitu. People’s Reps., Fusimalohi, and Puloka.

Standing on Foreign Relation, Defence and Trade:

• Chairman HSH Prince Kalaniuvalu Fotofili; Members, Lord Fakafanua, Hon. ‘Utoikamanu, Hon. Latu, Fusimalohi, and Eke.
• Reserve members: Lord Vaea, Lord Tu‘iha‘angana; Cabinet Mins.: Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni. People’s Reps., Tu‘i‘onetoa and Fasi.

Standing Committee for Agriculture and Fisheries:

• Chairman, Lord Tu‘ilakepa; Members, Lord Nuku, Taka.
• Reserve Members: Nobles Reps., Lord Fohe and Lord Vaea, Cabinet Mins., Hon. Toumo‘ua People’s Reps., Puloka and Hui.

Standing Committee for Anti Corruption:

• Chairman, Hon. ‘Uhila Moelangi Fasi; Members, Lord Kalaniuvalu Fotofili, Lord Tu‘i‘afitu, Hon. Toumo‘ua, Puloka.
• Reserve members, Nobles Reps., Lord Fakafanua and Lord Tu’ivakano; Cabinet Mins., Hon. Vaipulu, People’s Reps., Fusimalohi, and Eke.

Standing Committee for the growth in Population and Development:

• Chairman, Hon. Veivosa Light of life Taka; Members, Lord Tu‘ilakepa, Lord Fohe, Dr Piukala, Hon ‘Utoikamanu and Hui.
• Reserve members: Lord Fakafanua, Lord Tu‘ivakano, Hon. Dr Latu, Tu‘i‘onetoa and Fasi.