From the House by Pesi Fonua

A Motion for a Vote of No Confidence, scheduled to be heard today, July 17, in the Tonga Legislative Assembly, has been postponed until Thursday July 19.

Today's session of parliament was postponed, after the Prime Minister requested time to clarify the legal position of the Speaker, Lord Lasike, who was convicted of a criminal offence in the Supreme Court on July 9.

The Chief Clerk of the House, Sione Tekiteki, said this morning that a letter from the Prime Minister was circulated with the request, relating to the position of the Speaker, who was convicted of illegal possession of ammunition, by Chief Justice Michael Dishington Scott in the Supreme Court last week.

The Speaker, who was fined $500 pa'anga, has 42 days to appeal his conviction. But because the maximum penalty for the illegal possession of ammunition is 10 years imprisonment the conviction could also cost Lasike his stature as a Tongan noble along with his seat in parliament.

Tonga's Constitution, under Clause 23– Disabilities of convict – states that no person having been convicted on a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment for more than two years, shall hold any office under the Government whether of emolument or honor nor the Legislative Assembly unless he has received a pardon from the King. The Constitution also requires the King to cancel the right of such person to any right of succession to the Crown of Tonga.

New appointment

Meanwhile, on Friday July 13, Sangster Saulala, a signatory to the Motion for a Vote of No Confidence crossed the floor and accepted a nomination from the Prime Minister to become his new Minister of Agriculture, and has since been appointed to the position by the King.

Sangster was one of 10 People's Representatives who had earlier signed the motion.

So if things remain as they are, without any more switching sides, the Prime Minister might expect the support of 13 members, being his eight Cabinet Ministers, along with himself and the four Nobles' Representatives, while the movers of the motion now appear to have only 12 supporters.

Earlier, on June 25, three Cabinet Ministers resigned from the Cabinet to give their support to the 10 members of parliament who signed the Motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister and his minority government.

Under the Constitution Clause 51(2) (b) the Prime Minister and Cabinet shall be fewer in number than half of the number of elected members of the Legislative Assembly, excluding the Speaker. The Tongan Parliament has 26 members, including the Speaker.

As of July 6 the Prime Minister has chosen the Deputy Speaker of the House, Lord Tu'i'afitu as the new Minister of Health, and now with the addition of Sangster, it means he has nine elected Cabinet Ministers, including himself. If he was counting on the remaining four Nobles' Representatives, Lord Tu'iha'ateiho, Lord Fusitu'a, Lord Tu'ilakepa and Lord Fakafanua, who have not publicly shown their support for the Motion for a Vote of No Confidence, then it is now possible that he can defeat the motion 13-12. 

The Speaker Lasike leaves the Supreme Court on July 5