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

Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 21, Monday September 1, 2008.

Highlights:

- The Minister for Labour, Commerce and Industries expected to have talks with an Australian delegation to send Tongan seasonal workers to Australia.

- The Prime Minister told the House that a new MV ''Olovaha' inter island ferry would arrive in Tonga at the end of 2009. He favoured the principal of allowing two airlines to compete on the domestic service.

- Concern in the House about non-attendance of members who were still receiving their salaries contra to the rules of attendance.

- The House passed the Regulations for the Dual Citizen Act.

Presumably, coming late

After the parliamentary Roll Call the Clerk told the Speaker that Prince Tu'ipelehake, Noble Ma'afu, Noble Tangipa, Clive Edwards and Samiu Vaipulu were coming late, and those who did not answer their calls were, presumably, coming late.

The Clerk read a letter and report from the House's Law Committee.

The letter from the Law Committee chairwoman, Hon 'Alisi Taumoepeau informed the House that they were presenting to the House three Bills that they had studied: the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2008, Carriage of Goods by Sea (Repeal) Bill 2008 and the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2008.

The Speaker reminded the Cabinet Ministers to table their Annual Reports because they were next in their agenda.

Dangerous voyage

The People's Representative for the Niuas, Sione Feingatau 'Iloa reported to the House what he considered to be a dangerous voyage by the MV 'Olovaha to the Niuas on August 18. He said that the engine stopped five times and he felt that the lives of the passengers were at risk. Eventually they reached Niuatoputapu and all passengers disembarked there and so the Niuafo'ou passengers were still stranded at Niuatoputapu. He asked for government to send a boat and go and pick up the people and take them to their island of Niuafo'ou.

The Minister of Transport said that he had never heard of the stranded Niuafo'ou passengers at Niuatoputapu, and a report of the problem should have been reported to his ministry.

He said that a new aircraft was due to arrive in the third week of September and that aircraft would be able to provide a weekly service to the Niuas.

'Etuate Lavulavu reported a poor service in Vava'u. The price of electricity had gone up and at the same time, there were too many power stoppages, which cost a lot of money for businesses because of frozen goods going bad.

With regarded to imported vehicles, he reminded the House that six weeks previously the Minister of Finance said that they were looking at the issue with a possibility of allowing people to import vehicles under the old formula of calculating duty, but so far nothing had been done.

The other concern was a lack of school teachers. Vava'u needed 135 teachers, but they had only 120.

The domestic air service had been very poor. First was the stoppage of the Peau Vava'u domestic airline, and more recently stoppage of the Tonga Air. He said that passengers were stranded in Vava'u with no hope of getting a refund from the airlines. He called for government to do something about it.

The Minister of Finance told the PR that the reason for the higher electricity price in Vava'u, was because of a higher cost of oil. He said that Ha'apai and 'Eua were cheaper because their fuel price was subsidised by Tongatapu consumers.

Allocation for teachers

Minister of Education reminded the PRs that they had just passed the new government budget and there was an allocation there for the recruitment of more teachers. He said that the problem had been identified and a solution had been found.

PR Sunia Fili reported a need to upgrade the Nafanua Harbour of 'Eua.

The Minister of Transport said that the ministry was aware of the problem and a survey of the harbour was needed to find a lasting solution. He said that once a decision was made the project could be included in a loan from the World Bank that was scheduled for October.

Seasonal work scheme

The Minister for Labour, Commerce and Industries, Lisiate 'Akolo reported to the House on positive signs with regards to the new Seasonal Work Scheme with Australia. He said that five officials would arrive on September 6 for talks. He said that Tonga was among four island countries that had been selected for the scheme, which required 2,500 workers during a three years period. He said that Australia needed 100 workers by December and he was hoping that all 100 workers would be from Tonga.

The Prime Minister Hon. Dr Feleti Sevele responded to the report of the problem with the MV 'Olovaha. He reminded the House that a new 'Olovaha would arrive in Tonga toward the end of next year.

With regard to the stranded passengers in Niuatoputapu he said that the TDS patrol boat was going up on September 15 and they would try and alleviate the problem.

With regards to the current domestic air service problem, he reminded the House that Tonga Air stepped up and offered a service when there was nothing going for the outer islands. The airline was in difficulty and they were looking for a solution, but he was in favour in principle of allowing two airlines to compete.

Speaker's responsibility

PR Teisina Fuko pointed that a certain member had been in the House only three or four times since the opening of parliament. He said that under Clause 10 of their Rules and Regulation if a member was away from the House more than once without a good reason then he should not receive any salaries from the House.

The Speaker thanked the member for reminding him of his responsibility.

Teacher shortage

PR 'Akilisi Pohiva commented on how there were not enough teachers in government schools, while the Ministry of Defence was recruiting more soldiers.

The Prime Minister responded that it was not right to say that they had reduced the number of teachers while recruiting more soldiers. He reminded the member that they had passed the budget with an allocation to recruit more teachers. There was a request from the Ministry of Education and it was accepted by Cabinet.

PR 'Isileli Pulu wondered why the ministry had not recruited more teachers, since funds had been made available.

PR 'Etuate Lavulavu said that the CEO and his staff at the Ministry of Education should be fired, because they were slowing down the process of recruiting new teachers.

The Speaker complained to 'Akilisi over how his paper the Kele'a wrongly accused him for over spending when he attended two important meetings, one in Malaysia and the other in Adelaide, Australia recently. He asked the member to correct the error.

Dual nationality

The legislature dissolved into Committee and the Chairman took his chair.

Debate began on the Extraordinary Gazette No. 1 2008, a regulation for the Dual Nationality legislation that was passed last year.

'Isileli Pulu said that the fee of $750 was too high and he proposed that it be reduced to $300.

The Minister of Justice did not think the fee was too high, and it was just to cover procedure. She pointed out that applicants did not have to return to Tonga to file their applications, they could do it from their country of residence.

There was a long debate and there were a number of motions, that there should be no fee; that the fee should be reduced from $750 to $300; and that the fee should be $750 for a family and $500 for individual.

The Chairman called for votes on the motion for the fee to be reduced from $750 to $500. It was rejected 16-10. Against were all the Cabinet Ministers and the nobles Tangipa and Tu'iha'ateiho.

The reading of the Regulation as it was, with the fee at $750, was passed 18-6. Against were 'Akilisi Pohiva, 'Isileli Pulu, 'Etuate Lavulavu, 'UIliti Uata, Teisina Fuko and Noble Lasike.

Income Tax Act

The Chairman called for proceedings to continue with Gazette No. 5, a regulation for the new Income Tax Act.

The Minister of Finance reminded the committee that debate on the regulation was postponed because of a proposal for earnings between $30,001 and $50,000 to be taxed at 15% and then from $50,001 upward to be taxed at 20%. He suggested that there should not be any changes because it would mean a lot of work, because the budget had been passed.

The House was closed until 9.30am the following day.