From the House
By Pesi Fonua

The issue of members of parliament being paid without doing any work was a matter of great concern to some members, when the Tongan parliament reconvened on 19 September after a three weeks break.

During those three weeks, Standing Committees of the Tongan Parliament were supposed to be in deliberation over regulations, bills, motions and other matters before they were tabled into the House for endorsement.

The People's Representative PR for Tongatapu Constituency No. 7, Sangster Saulala told the House that he was very concerned that during their three weeks break some of these Standing Committees had never met. "It is foolish," he said and suggested that something should be done about it.

Meanwhile, of course, Members of Parliament received their full salaries.

Increase in company taxes

The quality of the deliberation of some of these committees was also a matter of great concern. A report from the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade on its deliberation on a Bill to amend the Company Act, and recommending an increase in company taxes (license fees) was queried by the PR for Tongatapu Constituency No. 3, Sitiveni Halapua, who asked if there was any public consultation or a dialogue with the Private Sector before they proposed the increase in taxes.

The Chairman of the committee, the former Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industries reminded the member of the need to balance the government budget.

Sitiveni moved for the Bill to be returned to the Committee for further deliberation.

Under Tonga's newly structured parliament, Standing Committees play an important role in the decision making process and since parliament was opened in June seven Standing Committees have been formed, and some members of parliament are members on almost all of the Standing Committees.

There were only two Standing Committees in the previous parliament.

New Member

Meanwhile, a new PR, for Tongatapu Constituency No. 9 Filisi Tupou who was elected following a by-election on 15 September was invited by the Speaker to attend parliament on 19 September to be sworn in.

However, the Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu told the Speaker that the swearing in of the new member could not take place, because he had not been informed by the Electoral Commissioner on the outcome of the election, and therefore according procedure the swearing in could not take place.

The Speaker said that he had been informed in writing by the Electoral Commissioner that Falisi won the by-election but since the Prime Minister had not been informed, Falisi would have to go home and wait.

The Speaker, however, assured Falisi that he would be paid as a member of parliament starting from that day, 19 September.

Falisi Tupou was eventually sworn in as a member of parliament of Wednesday, 21 September.

Closed again

The House was closed again this week to allow members to attend a regional anti-corruption conference in Vava'u September 27-29, if they wanted to. All travel expenses including air fares, accommodation and a travel allowance were to be paid for by the House.