Tonga's PM declares that Public Account is not for Parliament [1]
Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 17:45. Updated on Friday, May 9, 2014 - 16:08.
From the House, by Pesi Fonua
Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 10, Wednesday June 16, 2005.
- Government could not sell shares in Sea Star because there had been no financial report during the past four years.
- 'Isileli Pulu said he had not seen a Public Account since he entered the House in 2002.
- The Prime Minister said that Tonga was a monarchy and the auditor reported to the Prime Minister, and not to the House or to the People Representatives. He said that that was how the country was structured and if he did not like it then he should go to the country whose structure he liked.
- Clive said that although there was good criticism and debate in parliament, the PRs were coming up against a brick wall.
Without ado, the House dissolved into Committee and the Chairman Noble Tu'iha'angana took his chair.
Clive Edwards, a Tongatapu People's Representative, complained that far too many pieces of government papers had been delivered. How were they allowed into the House?
The Speaker, Veikune, said that they were supporting papers to be added later.
'Isileli Pulu, a Tongatapu People's Representative, said that the major concern for the PRs was the Consumption Tax, and the issue that people talked about was the fact that the tax was not allowed for public debate before it was implemented. He said that the proof of this public discontent was the marches, and he had heard of another sector of the community planning another march.
The Minister of Commerce, Hon. Dr Feleti Sevele, said that way back in 2003 when the Consumption Tax Bill was presented to the House PRs were unanimous in their vote for the debate on the bill to be delayed. He also recalled that 'Isileli Pulu, who was then the Tongatapu No. 3 PR, moved for the bill to be passed without any delay.
'Isileli wanted to know what had happened to the Sea Star fishing company.
The Minister of Finance, Hon. Cecil Cocker, replied that the company was in a very dangerous position, in fact it was believed to be insolvent. He said that the Ministry had tried to sell the government shares in the company but because there was no financial report during the past three to four years the prospective buyers were no longer interested.
'Isileli went on to express his concern over the involvement of members of the Royal Family in business, which he considered to have a negative in the economic development of the country. He said that recently a qualified Tongan airline pilot returned and started up the FlyNiu Airline. After one Privy Council meeting it spelled the death of FlyNiu.
The PM reminded told the House that the FlyNiu pilots used to fly for the Royal Tongan Airlines and their training was paid for by RTA, the airline that was killed by the PRs.
'Isileli responded that the PM was wrong, and some of the pilots were working overseas and the spirit of competition, which was stated in the Budget Statement, was not practiced at the time - fair competition. He pointed out that under the National Airline Policy that was introduced the operator must fly twice daily to Vava'u and Ha'apai, but that was not the case today.
With regards to the issue of transparency, 'Isileli said he entered the House in 2002 and had never ever seen a Public Account. He asked the House, "have you ever seen a government like that?" The Constitution said that after the account was shown to the King then the Public Account should come to the House.
The Prime Minister said that the member was right, there was no other government like Tonga. He said that Tonga was a monarchy and the auditor reported to the Prime Minister, and not to the House or to the People's Representatives. He said that that was how the country was structured and if he did not like it then he should go to the country whose structure he liked.
'Isileli said he was not going to leave the country but the point was that the Public Account should be presented to the House so that the PRs know how the tax payers' money was spent.
Sunia Fili, the 'Eua People's Representative, supported 'Isileli that government was not abiding by the law and presenting the Public Account to the House. He said that under the law the Auditor General should report to the Minister no later than 8 months from the end of the financial year and for the Minister to table it into the House.
What followed was a discussion between 'Isileli Pulu and the Minister of Police over the success and the failure of the government privatisation program.
'Isileli claimed that the saying that Tonga belongs to Tupou and Chiefs was no longer true. It belonged to the Prince Regent and his business associates.
Clive expressed an opinion that the goings on in the House ended with nothing of use for the development of the economy of the country. He referred to the speech made by the Acting Minister of Education, and though it was a good speech, there was an opinion that although criticism and objections from the PRs were true and good, that was just about it, nothing else was done about it.
The Acting Minister of Education said that there were good speeches but no constructive criticism.
The Deputy PM said that the PRs criticism was taken care of, and that government had made a decision to exempt them from CT.
Clive went on to say that the nature of this government was that they said thanks for the good speech and criticism, and we will think about it, thank you. He said that PRs were coming up against a brick wall.