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

Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 6, Monday night, June 15, 2009.

Highlights:

- PR 'Isileli Pulu asks for $20,000-30,000 for an undisclosed community project.
- PR Sunia Fili said he was given $125,000 last year out of the $500,000 that was allocated for members on national tours to help community projects.
- The Minister of Youth and Sport thought it was not proper for money from the House's vote to be given away when the House was not in session.
- PR Clive Edwards did not think it was proper for overseas donors to top-up the salary of civil servants but refuse to reveal the actual top-up figures.

Presumed to be coming late

The Speaker called on all the members to recite the Lord's prayer.

The clerk made the roll call. 'Akilisi was on leave of absence, and those who did not answer their calls were presumed to be coming late.

The Speaker dissolved the Legislature into Committee and the Chairman took his chair.

People's Representative 'Isileli Pulu, had a request with regards to the annual handouts to members from the House vote for their annual national tour. Last year the sum of $500,000 was approved for members from the outer islands. 'Isileli made a big fuss about it because the $500,000 included Tongatapu as well. He asked the other members to forgive him because he was asking for $20,000 or $30,000 to "top up" and finish off some unfinished business. He said he would not state a firm figure but what he was asking for was not much.

The Governor of Ha'apai told the House that $200,000 was taken from the House's travel budget and was distributed evenly to all members when they went on their national tour. He said that the $500,000 that was later approved by the House was only for the outer islands.

The Minister of Commerce said that a report of how the money was spent should be filed with the House.

PR Teisina Fuko said that the $500,000 had not been disbursed, but a record and receipts of how the $200,000 was spent was with the staff of the House, and it was for them to file it into the House.

The Deputy Prime Minister Dr Viliami Tangi wanted to know what 'Isileli Pulu was on about. How much money was he asking for and what was he going to spend it on?

Concern

PR Sunia Fili told the House that he had got his share of the $500,000. He was given $120,000 and the amount is in the account of the 'Eua Sea Transportation Council Co-operative Society Ltd. He suggested for annual allocation from the House to go up from $200,000 to $500,000.

The Minister for Youth and Sport expressed his concern over how this allowance had been misused, because he was the one who initiated the idea. He said that community development programs had been a concern of government, but if the House wanted to take it over then it should be made clear and transfer the responsibility.

He said he heard that money has been transferred to one or two people when the House was not in session and he thought that was wrong.

The Chairman thanked the Minister and said that the proceeding would continue with Vote No. 3 of the Prime Minister's Office.

Prime Minister's Office

PR Teisina Fuko queried the allocation for the Governor of Ha'apai. He said that the figure "$400" seemed to have some spiritual significance on the Governor of Ha'apai when his budget was drafted: uniform $400, new Computer $400, new vehicle $400, salary for daily labour $400, new boat $400. He wondered where the Governor gets these products from, because they were so cheap.

The Minister of Finance said he would check the row of "$400' items for the Governor of Ha'apai.

Political Adviser

'Isileli wanted to know where the salary of the Political Adviser of the Prime Minister came from. He said that initially it was supposed to be paid from overseas, but he wanted to know when did the government started paying his salary. He said he had information that the Political Adviser was paid $1,376.63 per fortnight.

The Chairman told the member that with this kind of question it would be better if he wrote a letter.

'Isileli expressed his concern because he believed that the Prime Minister's Office had so much influence over all aid to Tonga, and the decision on where the aid is spend was with the PM's Office.

The Minister of Finance told the member that was not exactly how it works. Aid comes in different forms, in kind, cash, technical assistance, and salary subsidy. He said that all funds stay with the Treasury, and if the PM's Office wanted funds for a specific project they would inform Treasury.

The Minister of Communication wanted to make a point that there appeared to be a feeling that there was something illegal about how the salary of the PM's Political Adviser's salary was paid. But the Minster of Finance had already stated that whether the fund of the salary was local or from aid donors it was legal.

'Isileli Pulu said he was not concerned with the legality of the salary, but where the money comes from.

PR 'Etuate Lavulavu reminded the member that the official interpretation of government money, is government money plus aid funds.

Public Service Commission

PR Clive Edwards wanted to know why the big increase in the allocation for salary of the Public Service Commission. Last year it was $237,000 but this year it has gone up to $545,600.

The Minister of Finance said that the staffing from programs No. 3 to 7 of the commission had all been relocated to program No. 1. There were 28 staff members in the commission, and some of them have their salaries topped up from overseas.

He said that in most cases they do not know the top-up amount.

Clive did not think it was a good thing for government not to know the top-up amount, and he suggested that the minister should do something about it.

The Minister of Finance said that overseas donors do not want to reveal the figure which had been negotiated between the donor and the recipient, but he said that situations like this were getting fewer.

The House was closed until 9.30 am the following day, Tuesday, June 16.