By Katalina Siasau

Two members of parliament were sworn in today, 18 May 2026, as the Legislative Assembly reconvened after a four-month hiatus. Meanwhile, one member, the Minister for Lands, has yet to take his oath and the Speaker called for the Prime Minister and his Cabinet to respect and prioritise requirements set out by the Constitution.

The Parliament’s first order of business today was the swearing-in of two members, the Noble’s Representative for Tongatapu 3, Lord Tuʻivakano, and the People’s Representative for Tongatapu 7, Hon. Piveni Piukala.

On 22 January 2026 both members and the People’s Representative of 'Eua 11, the Minister for Lands, Survey, Planning, and Natural Resources, Hon. Dr Taniela Fusimalohi, were absent from the Assembly’s first sitting.

However, Fusimalohi was again absent from today’s parliamentary session and has yet to be sworn in, raising concerns from the Speaker of the House, Lord Vaea.

Addressing the House, the Speaker said, “Taking the oath of office for both members and ministers is required under the Constitution."

He noted that while the law and the Rules of the House allow, to a certain extent, the time which a member may be absent from the House, there are also circumstances not written in law, which includes expectations from the public.

"Taking oaths in the presence of the Legislative Assembly is an important responsibility that the Lands Minister should have prioritized, as well as for the Honourable Prime Minister, to ensure that Cabinet Ministers are respecting these requirements."

"I urge you all to prioritize this, and I will look into amending the law to ensure these obligations are met," he said.

The House proceeded to other items in the agenda, which included presentation of the Budget Estimate by the PM.