House agrees to abolish tourism Room Tax [1]
Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 16:15. Updated on Friday, May 9, 2014 - 13:03.
From the House.
by Pesi Fonua
Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute no. 2, Tuesday May 31 2005
The House threw out the 1992 Room Tax on the tourism industry, but will debate next week an amendment to the Consumption Tax 2003, and an amendment to the Custom Duties and Excise Tax Act 2005.
The House cancelled its morning session because Noble Tu'ilakepa and Noble 'Ahome'e who were responsible for the delivery of the House Letter of Reply to the King, reported to the speaker that they had not been able to deliver the letter, but they had been informed by the Private Secretary of the King that they may be able to have an audience with the king later that morning.
The House went into recess until 2 pm when Noble 'Ahome'e reported that they had delivered the letter to the King.
The House proceeded with its working agenda for the day and the clerk read four bills, which were all related to the next agenda of the House, to debate the estimated national budget for 2005-06.
The first reading of a Bill for an Act to Amend the Consumption Act 2003 was passed with 21-7 votes. Against were Samiu Vaipulu, Vili Helu, Clive Edwards, 'Uliti Uata, Fineasi Funaki, Sunia Fili and Lepolo Taunisila.
After its second reading 'Uliti Uata moved for the bill to be tabled into the Whole House Committee for debate.
Before the clerk proceeded to read the second bill, Clive Edwards raised an objection to the proceeding that the bills that had been tabled into the House were unrelated to the national budget. In the end, the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Cecil Cocker finally convinced Clive that although the Bills were to amend old acts but those amended acts had an impact on the revenue collection of the government.
After the first reading of the second bill, a Bill for an Act to amend the Customs Duty and Excise Duty Act, it was carried 20-7. Against were Clive Edwards, Samiu Vaipulu, Vili Kaufusi, 'Uliti Uata, Fineasi Funaki, Sunia Fili and Lepolo Taunisila. Sunia moved for the bill to be tabled into the Whole House Committee for debate.
The third bill, a Bill for an Act to Terminate the Room Tax Act 1992 was unanimously carried after its first, second and third readings.
The Speaker called on the clerk to give the first reading of the Appropriation Bill 2005/06. After its first reading Clive Edwards objected that the House could not pass the Appropriation Bill when it had not debated on the Budget for 2005/06. The Speaker explained that the first and second readings were procedural but the bill would not be debated in the Committee until the Budget was passed.
The first reading of the Appropriation Bill was carried 21-5. Against were Clive Edwads, Samiu Vaipulu, Vili Helu 'Uliti Uata and Lepolo Taunisila. Fineasi Funake moved for bill to be tabled into Committee for debate.
House staff
Next on the working agenda of the House was the selection of its staff, an issue that has became very problematic for the House and over the years there has never been a set procedure.
Samiu Vaipulu proposed for the establishment of a sub committee. The Prime Minister said that the House must decide whether to have permanent staff or to continue with the practice of public servants working in the House when it is in session and then returning to government when the House closed.
The Speaker called for the two standing committees, the Law Committee and the Finance Committee to meet the following day then present their findings to the House when it reconvened on Monday. They would then select their staff.
'Akilisi wanted to know what the two Standing Committees would be doing.
The Speaker explained that the question of whether the House should have permanent staff, instead of civil servants working in the House when the House is in procession and then return to government when the House closed was an issue for the Law Committee to look at, and the salaries of these people was something for the Finance Committee to deal with. He called for votes on the work of the two Standing Committees, which would meet on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It was carried 25-1. Against was Sunia Fili.
Private Member's Bill
Clive queried the Speaker about his Private Member's Bill about the Consumption Tax, which he thought should go into the Law Committee and then be tabled into the House for debate before they proceeded with the estimate. The Speaker suggested for the member to photocopy his bill and distribute it to the members of the Law Committee.
The Minister of Justice queried the decision of the Speaker for Clive Edwards to distribute his bill to the Law Committee to work on, while the Committee has already got a working agenda in place.
The Speaker said that it was procedural matter for a private member's bill to be presented to the Law Committee before it came to the House for its first, second and third readings. He called for the House to close until 10 am Monday.