From the House, an English translation summary from the Tongan vernacular, by Pesi Fonua.

Highlights from the debate, June 9:

- No one was interested in a move by the Speaker for the House to go back and work a four-days week instead of three days a week, excepting for the Acting Prime Minister who told the Speaker that they do more work in three days than in four days. No one was interested in increasing their working days, so the issue was dropped in mid-air and the members talked about 16/11 instead.

- Sunia Fili says that government was taking away the authority of the House by enforcing Emergency Rule while the House was not in Session. He alludes that they (himself and others) had supported a strive by the people to gain their rights on 16/11. There was no intention to take someone's life, but just to take out their anger on a pile of timbers [meaning business premises].

- Minister of Tourism calls Clive Edwards a liar, then Clive calls the Minister a thief.

- The increase in the budget by $63 million from $152 million to $215 million will enable government to allocate $25 million to buy back Shoreline Power.

- The Minister of Tourism wants the allocation for the Coronation to be increased from $5 million to $10 million. He says that the coronation will be a big tourism attraction for Tonga.
 

Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 3, Monday June 9, 2008.

AFTER the roll call, the Clerk told the Speaker that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Commerce and Labour were overseas. Noble Tu'ipelehake was also still overseas, and the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation was coming late and those who did not answer their calls were presumably coming late.

The Clerk then read three letters of invitation for meetings overseas. One was directed at the former Clerk of the House, Tevita 'Ova, to the 39th meeting of the Speakers and the Clerks of the Parliaments of Australia and the Pacific, to be held in Adelaide from July 5 to 11.

The second letter was to the Speaker from the Speaker of the Solomon Islands' parliament, Rt. Hon. Sir Peter Kenilorea, inviting him to a meeting to be held in Honiara from July 28 to August 1. It will be a Pacific Parliamentary meeting on population and development.

The third letter was from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, inviting a representative to a CPA meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland from July 5 to 7. The invitation was from the Director of Communication and Research.

The Governor of Ha'apai raised the issue that the invitation came but the House had not passed the government's budget.

The Speaker said that all expenses would be paid from Scotland. He proposed for the House to vote on the CPA invitation and leave the other two for a later date. He called for votes and it was carried 23-0. No objections.

The Speaker nominated Hon. Fielakepa to represent Tonga to the meeting in Scotland.

The Speaker announced the Parliamentary Committee to advise the Auditor General. The members are, the Minister of Lands, Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, the Tongatapu Nobles' Representatives nos. 1 and 2), the Tongatapu People's Representatives (nos. 1 and 2) and the Ha'apai People's Representatives no. 2. He called for votes on the committee and it was carried 19-0. No objections.

Short working week

The Speaker appealed with the Acting Prime Minister for the House to return to work five-days as it is stated in their Regulations instead of working for only three days, as they have been doing.

The Acting Prime Minister said that the House works for four hours 45 minutes daily, excluding tea breaks, but in his calculation, because they started at 8.30am, though they reduced their working days from four to three, they actually worked for longer hours in three days than in four days. He also pointed out that by working for only three days, it allows the Cabinet to meet on Wednesday and give members more time to have other meetings.

Distraction

In a complete distraction from the move by the Speaker for the House to increase its working days, Sunia Fili told the Speaker that under the Government Act the Cabinet may pass legislation when the House is not in session. He claimed that government had taken away the authority of the Speaker by enforcing Emergency Rule without the approval of the House.

He said that what happened was that people were seeking their rights. No one thought about taking someone else's life. "We were there, to support our right. We were just going there to release our anger at a pile of timbers."

The Speaker called on the member to drop the issue because the issue is with the court.

Clive Edwards queried the continued imposition of the Emergency Rule because some people are scared. He told of how soldiers told a group of people at their home to disperse, and when they objected they were beaten up by the soldiers.

The Minister of Tourism reminded the House that the member was the leader of the riot.

Clive Edwards told the Minister to sit down because the law will eventually get him for his thieving.

The Minister told the member to stop the Fakanafala [brawling], to stop lying, and talk real.

Samiu Vaipulu supported Clive and queried the logic of imposing the Emergency Rule. He reckoned that government was trying to impose its will on the Judiciary, while under the law, no one is guilty until it is proven in court.

The Minster of Works said that the member was trying to mislead the House and the people.

'Akilisi Pohiva supported Clive and Samiu for the Emergency Rule to be lifted.

The Minister of Defence, in reference to Clive's comment said that the matter was under investigation and a decision would be made, because if it was true then both he and the Commander of the TDS are not happy with soldiers abusing the authority that has been given to them under the law.

The Budget

The Speaker dissolved the House and the new Chairman of the Whole House Committee, Samiu Vaipulu, took his chair.

The Minister of Finance tried to introduce his Budget. He said that the 2008-09 Budget takes into account that this year is the final year of the National Development Plan No. 8.

'Etuate Lavulavu made a point that the Minister said that we are in the final year of Plan No. 8, and yet Plan No. 7 had not been completed.

The Minister of Finance responded that it is normal that if items, say in Plan 7 were not completed, they were to be moved on to Plan 8 and so on, but he pointed that there was an emergency, the General Strike, and the salary rise of the Civil Servants. It affected Plan 7, and that was why incomplete items in Plan 7 had to be shifted into Plan 8.

Allocation for Shoreline

After lunch the Minister of Finance continued with the summary of his budget.

He said that the prime objective of the 2008-09 is to have a balanced budget. He said that under the new budget the economy is expected to grow by 3%. He also pointed out how the rise in the price of fuel and imported food, and the climate change is affecting the Tongan economy.

He said that in drafting the budget they also took other matters into consideration, such as the establishment of missions in Brussels, Canberra and Wellington. There was also a development program for the Police, Fire Department and the Tonga Defence Services. Also included in this budget is an allocation to buy back Shoreline Power.

Clive expressed his concern over the sales of Tongan businesses to overseas interests. He gave as an example the sale of Tonfon to Digicel, and Leiola was selling its shares to overseas buyers, and Shoreline.

The Minister reminded the member that Tonfon was a private company, and in addition to that government was in the forefront to attract foreign investments.

Teisina Fuko wanted to know what the government was thinking in allowing in Digicel while TCC is 100% owned by government.

The minister reminded the member that government encourages competition.

Clive wanted to know if TCC had increased the 16 channels that it allowed Tonfon.

The minister said that the two companies were negotiating over the Interconnect Agreement but he did not know the details.

Price control

'Akilisi disagreed with the view that the reason why it was cheaper to make telephone calls now was because of the move by government to allow two companies to compete. He said that if only TCC was allow to operate, he was sure that it could be made to lower its prices, because it is owned by government, and all it requires is for government to tell TCC to lower its price.

The Minister of Works said that the member's view was undemocratic, and it is against the principle of Free Enterprise.

'Akilisi said that if TCC was profitable and the people think that the price is too high and it should be lowered then government should make TCC lower the price. He did not think that such a decision has any impact on democratic principles.

The Minister of Works said that if the concern was over foreign investors taking money out of the country then legislation should be drafted to regulate the flow of fund overseas.

Renewable energy

Clive wanted to know if the $600,000 allocation for energy was to increase the subsidy for Shoreline, in addition to the subsidy that had been approved.

The Minister said that it was not for Shoreline it was for renewable energy.

Coronation

Teisina Fuko queried why the allocation of $5 million for the Coronation was included in the budget.

The Minister said that with regard to purchasing of Shoreline by government, it was the only alternative, because no one else wanted to buy it. There was a company that wanted to buy it but because of 16/11 they withdrew.

'Akilisi calculated that the budget had been increased by $63 million, $5 million will be spent on the coronation and the rest will be to buy back Shoreline.

The Minister said that the value of Shoreline stood at $US26 million.

'Akilisi said that the value of Shoreline is $5 million.

The Minister detailed the allocation of the $63 million, the increase of the budget from $152 million last financial year to $215 million in the coming financial year.

He said that the real increase was only $36 million, which included $25 million for the buying back of Shoreline. There is an amount of $4 million the revolving Fund, which is usually outside of the annual estimated budget which has been brought in. Added in to the $29 million is the allocation for road building and the $2 million for the coronation, then we reach the amount of $36 million which is the real increase of the budget.

He said that the $25 million for the purchase of Shoreline came from the government's selling its shares in Westpac Bank of Tonga. But out of the $63 million increase about $45 million is spent on public services.

High cost of electricity

'Etuate Lavulavu raised the issue that the electricity price for Vava'u is the most expensive of the whole of Tonga, excepting maybe the small suppliers in the outer islands of Ha'apai.

The chairman of the Whole House Committee reminded the member that the Vava'u electricity is not supplied by Shoreline but by a different company, Island Power.

'Etuate Lavulavu expressed his concern that the king was getting too much money. He will receive $26 million from Shoreline and another $5 million for his coronation.

The Minister of Tourism told the House that the coronation will be a major tourism attraction and the $5 million was a small investment by government, he proposed for the amount to be increased to $10 million.

The House was closed until 9.30am the following day, June 10.