By Pesi Fonua

Tonga's political reform movement stalled this week with the parliament left in confusion over how to move forward, with some members calling for the termination of the Commission for Political Reform - before it has even been formed.

Parliament was in an upheaval on Monday October 13 when the Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele told the House that the Cabinet nominee for the Political Reform Commission would not be available until January 2009, and that the House had a lot of issues to agree on first before the Commission could proceed with its deliberation on political reform.

It is nearly three months since the Tongan parliament passed the Constitutional and Electoral Commission Act for the formation of a commission to prepare Tonga for a political reform that has been scheduled for 2010. There should be five members on the commission but only the Judicial Service Commission has lodged their two nominees for the Commission with the Prime Minister's Office, while the nominations are awaited for the other three commissioners.

Overtime

After all the rush and the over-time proceedings by the House on July 22 to pass the urgent legislation; and a feast by the Temo's to celebrate the passing of the legislation; the Commission has not been formed because the other three nominees, including a chair person to be selected by Cabinet and one member each by the Nobles' Representatives and the People's Representatives have not been lodged with the Prime Minister's Office.

The Chief Secretary and the Secretary to Cabinet, Mrs 'Eseta Fusitu'a confirmed on October 16 that only two nominees, those from the Judicial Services Commission, had been received.

Undecided issues

But back in the House, the Prime Minister reminded Members that there were a number of issues for the House to agree on before the Commission could start its deliberation, such as the notion of Constituency, the duration of the term of parliament, the composition of the House, and Tongan voters overseas.

People's Representative Teisina Fuko sounded very agitated when he said that what the PM had said was new to the House, because when they passed the Bill to form the Commission it was with an understanding that they would surrender all those decisions for the Commission to make. He said that the Commission could make their decision based on what was already there and the wishes of the people.

Confusion

The issue about the Reform Commission was raised in the House on Monday because PRs 'Akilisi Pohiva and 'Isileli Pulu presented a motion for a resolution for the House to be able to call for the reopening of parliament if a report from the commission happened to be completed while the House was not in session.

The motion opened up a can of worms of a mass confusion by Members over what they were supposed to be doing in parliament.

At the onset the Minister of Works Noble Nuku and the Governor of Ha'apai Noble Malupo pointed out that the motion had to be amended because the House did not have the authority to open parliament - only the king with the advice of the Prime Minister had that authority.

PR 'Isileli Pulu responded that he knew that, but he was just trying to get the support of the House, so that when the need arose the King may call for the opening of parliament.

Both the Governor and the Minister pointed out to the Member that that was not how they were doing things in parliament, and they had to go by what was written, and not what they thought could happen.

PR 'Isileli Pulu admitted that the PRs thought that they had to table their nominee in the House first, but since he had just found out the procedure "they will make their nomination today and put it through."

Not wanted

PR Teisina Fuko said that many felt they no longer wanted to have the commission, and the reason for that was because the House had tried to come up with a new system of government but they could not, so they decided to surrender the task to a Commission to make the decision and then present their recommendations back to the House.

He said that they were like a rat chasing its tail, and he asked the Prime Minister to leave all the issues that he mentioned for the commission to decide on and not for the House to decide.

The Governor of Ha'apai disagreed with Teisina that they had surrendered everything to the Commission, because there were issues that they had agreed on, such as the members of the House.

The Prime Minister told Teisina that they all agreed in principal with the proposed political reform but where they differed was on the procedure. He said that if they were to let the Commission make the final decision on some of the fundamental issues, bearing in mind that their report had to be approved by the House, it would mean that if members disagreed with the commission, there would be further delay.

Call for termination

Teisina Fuko responded to the PM by calling for the termination of the Commission, suggesting that they divert the funds for the Commission and keep the House running so that they could make the required decision and then proceed with the reform.

The Minister of Works reminded the Chairman of the Whole House Committee that they were debating on a motion and not on the Commission for Political Reform.

But Members could not leave the issue of the Commission alone, and PR 'Uliti Uata accused the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Ministers of dragging their feet on the reform, because they would not have the Cabinet's nominee until January 2009. He accused the Prime Minister of changing his position since he became a Cabinet Minister, "and he no longer has any respect for the PRs and the people."

'Uliti accused the PM of influencing the decision of Cabinet, but he said that they knew him "and how his brain works".

No People's nominee

The Minister of Works queried the accusation by the PRs that government was dragging its feet in the formation of the Commission, and yet they had not nominated a member.

Teisina said that they had already told their nomination, [verbally] to the Prime Minister's Office.

'Isileli Pulu clarified how their nomination was made by saying that after studying the act on the commission, he did not find out where they should make their nomination, "but we will lodge our nomination today."

Prince Tu'ipelehake said that the Nobles' Representatives should nominate their representative to the Commission on Wednesday. He wanted to know when the Commission would start its deliberation.

More funding

The PM responded that it should be January. He also mentioned that the commission is funded by the governments of Australia and New Zealand and he would meet with their representatives this week to discuss more funding.

Noble Luani said that January was too late and he got a feeling that the Cabinet was delaying the process, "maybe some of them don't want to resign from Cabinet in 2010."

He said that the people were losing faith in the government because the rate of inflation was high, and the price of goods was high and so were taxes.

He moved for the Commission to be terminated and to let the House decide on the new system of government for Tonga.

No one seconded the motion and the ramble in the House continued and finally closed - apparently without making any definite decision on the Commission or the motion.

See also: Moans from the House over new taxes [2]