From the House by Pesi Fonua

When members of parliament presented their reports of how they had spent their allocations of $117,647 each on their national tours, they became embroiled in debate over the report of 'Akilisi Pohiva, whose report called for the termination of the Lord title with noble privileges that was created by the late King George Tupou V.

'Akilisi also called for the expelling from Tonga of one of the lords, and his report from his Constituency no. 1 kept the Tongan Parliament occupied for most of yesterday.

The Minister of Justice, Hon. Clive Edwards moved for the House to reject the report and return it to the member to be amended.

The People's Representatives reports from their recent national tours of their constituencies were supposed to explain how they had spent the $117,647 that they were each given to hand out for urgent community needs that they had identified during their national tours, and to set up community projects.

King's right

Clive pointed out that the two specific proposals in the report, proposing for the Prime Minister to tell the king to terminate the Lord title was an infringement of the constitutional right of the king to honour people with titles; while the proposal to expel a foreigner, a former judge of Tonga's Supreme Court and a naturalized Tongan, was a racist proposal.

The minister warned the House to be very careful with the report of the member because if the House were to accept such a report with a racist content it could have a devastating effect on the diaspora Tongan communities overseas.

'Akilisi, however insisted that he was just doing his job, a representative of the people, presenting to the House the wishes of the electorate of his Constituent, Tongatapu no. 1. He was very supportive of the proposal to terminate the honour that was bestowed on this specific foreigner.

He went on to reveal that the secret of his success in being elected as a people's representative during the past 26 years was because he had been making their voices be heard in parliament. He said he would not amend his report, and it was for the House to decide whether to action his report or not.

Constituency no. 1, with about 5,000 constituents is made up of the settlements of Kolomotu'a, Sopu, 'Isileli, Tongata'eapa, Hala–'o-Vave, Tufuenga and Kapeta in the greater Nuku'alofa area.

Action or not

Dr Sitiveni Halapua believed the House should make a specific policy on what it should do with such a report. He pointed out that under the current situation the House could either action it or not.

Clive, however, stressed that it was damaging for the House to accept such a report, and if it was presented to the House with the intention not to be actioned on, then why it was presented to the House at all.

Lord Nuku also called for the report to be returned to be improved on. He queried how many people attended the meeting that 'Akilisi referred to in his report, because he had received phone calls from people in Constituency no. 1 raising their concern over some of the issues that were raised in 'Akilisi's report. They disagreed with a proposal in the report to distribute land that had been vacated by land owners who had migrated overseas.

Lord Nuku also pointed out that if these people wanted to talk to the king they should go straight to the king with a petition and there was no need to come through the house.

When the House closed for the day they had not made a decision on what to do with 'Akilisi's report.

The People's Representative's reports was on their national tour of their constituents. It was supposed to be a report of how they spent the $117,647 that they were given to hand out to urgent community needs that they identify during their national tour, and to set up community projects.

Campaigns

The allocation of $117,647 to each member for their national tours has been a controversial issue because it is generally viewed that the People's Representatives are using taxpayers money to campaign for the next election. The fund was increased in this year's budget from $1.7 million to $2 million.