Results for From the House

When the Tongan Legislature reconvened on Monday, November 6, after being in recess since October 23, members were told that they had only eight working days left this year. Faced with a overwhelming workload they immediately spent half a day getting heated up over the agenda and the impact of their 60% salary rise on their reputations, and then they had to close the House for another half day while they all cooled down. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.

Tonga’s Parliament claimed today that they are working for an extra 30 minutes a week, and they do no’t want the public to get the impression that they are working less because of their new three-day week. From the House, by Pesi Fonua

In a name-calling press release yesterday Tonga's new Minister of Tourism Hon. Fineasi Funaki, has labeled some of his fellow MPs as, "a bunch of Pharisees." His remarks were directed at one noble and eight of the People's Representatives who are suing the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House and the Government of Tonga, over a claim that the opening of parliament by the Princess Regent, Princess Pilolevu on June 1 was illegal.

The Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Cecil Cocker, expressed his disappointment that the striking Civil Servants were encouraging Tongans in New Zealand to demonstrate against the king in Auckland. Akilisi Pohiva reckoned that if government would not give in to the demand by the Civil Servants, the country would be destroyed. From the House. Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 27, Monday August 22, 2005.

On August 1, before the House decided to go into recess due to the ongoing civil service strike, the Prime Minister, Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, expressed his dismay with what Clive Edwards had been saying on television, calling on the strikers to do something about public servants who were not on strike but were still working for government. He thought it was unusual for a former Minister of Police to say things like that. He said that what Clive was doing was inciting people to riot. Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 22, Monday August 1, 2005. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.

'Akilisi Pohiva wondered why the police arrested Piveni Piukala for a small crime and yet the Shoreline Chairman and Director who had committed bigger crimes were not arrested. From the House, by Pesi Fonua

The People's Representatives' Private Bill to amend the Consumption Tax will be a crunching issue before the House, which should start debate on it soon, possibly before the end of the month, meanwhile, members debating the Budget said CT was badly timed and was imposed on a struggling economy. Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 7, Monday June 13, 2005. From the House, by Pesi Fonua

The Vava'u No. 1 People's Representative, Samiu Vaipulu, called on the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Cecil Cocker, to resign over alleged illegal handling of the Missing Trust Fund in 1994. While the Deputy Prime Minister was in a state of shock over the allegation, the House proceeded with what was to be its main agenda for the day, the electing of its staff. Once the staff were elected the House then settled down to do some real work, and the Minister of Finance presented his Budget Statement for 2005-06. Tonga Legislative Assembly, Minute No. 4 , Tuesday June 7, 2005. From the House by Pesi Fonua

Tonga's new 15% Consumption Tax launched on April 1 came under attack from two fronts this week. In the House of the Tonga Legislative Assembly the People's Representatives have tabled a new Private Member's Bill aiming to amend the Consumption Tax Act extending some exemptions and reducing the tax to 10%.