Results for Lord Tu'ilakepa

The Prime Minister Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva and six Cabinet Ministers are dodging the process of impeachment by the Tongan Parliament during its 2018-19 session. By obstructing the reading of a critical Auditor General's report yesterday - and with the House closing for the year tomorrow - the government is stalling a serious challenge to its financial integrity. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

There was tension in parliament yesterday morning when the Prime Minister, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva burst out in anger over how, during his 31 years in politics, there had been attempts to “get rid of me”.

HM King Tupou VI has appointed three Nobles of the Realm to close Parliament tomorrow, 15 March. The appointments were announced today by the Speaker of the Tongan Parliament, Lord Fakafanua.

When confronted with revelations in the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Auditor General of unpaid debts, unrecorded assets, improper record of revenues and even separate bank accounts of government ministries, the Tongan Parliament was thrown into turmoil when it resumed its 2017-18 session on 1 August. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.

The Tongan Parliament today was struggling with a multitude of problems: reporting five cases of the Zika virus; worrying about an over-weight population with a shorter life expectancy; realising that education was not making people smarter; and noting a palpable frustration among the people that had even led to threats on the life of the Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.

Tonga's Parliament before breaking for lunch today, 22 October decided not to impeach the Minister of Infrastructure Hon. ‘Etuate Lavulavu, voting 9-12 against the findings of a Standing Committee on Privileges that found there was a prima facie case to impeach him. From the House by Pesi Fonua

A motion/resolution by Lord Tu‘ilakepa to try to put the position of the Prime Minister's Personal Assistant under the civil service, was rejected by the Tongan Parliament yesterday, 8 September. The concern was that the civil service has a recruitment procedure whereas the PM's son was appointed privately to the position. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

The importance of the independence of the judiciary was stated by Tonga's Chief Justice Paulsen yesterday, when he directed that sentencing documents in the case of Lord Tu'ilakepa should be released.

Two re-elected Nobles' Representatives to the Tonga Legislative Assembly are due to appear at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court this month. One noble is up for sentencing while the other for sentencing submissions on separate firearm and ammunition charges.