Results for parliament

State Owned Enterprises constrain island countries economies, where they absorb large amounts of scarce capital and are generally low in productivity and services, according to an ADB report that was released early this month.

Tonga has two accumulating government debts that the Minister of Finance, Dr 'Aisake Eke plans to address during the 2014-15 Financial year.

Thirty representatives will take part in Tonga's first “Practice Parliament for Women” on April 10-11 in Nuku'alofa, a two-day event that aims to encourage women to run for parliament in the upcoming 2014 General Election in November.

An art piece 'Fatu' by Walter Holakeituai (25) of Fanga, a student at Unitech in New Zealand has won the Speaker's Art Choice Award of $1,000 cash prize.

Tonga needs to find ways to boost the local economy, said HM King Tupou VI when he opened the 2013 Session of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga at Parliament House, on June 13.

The Minister of Finance, Hon. Lisiate 'Akolo has launched Tonga's biggest ever national budget amounting to T$357.6 million for the 2013-14 financial year, and expressed concern over low returns to government from public enterprises.

The changes to the Constitution [clause 23] regarding the ability to continue to sit in the assembly or hold any office means that a "convicted" person who is sentenced to less than 2 years can still sit in the assembly and hold office. This does send a rather odd message to the public and the world - that the Tongan house of parliament and the Cabinet will allow a convicted person, whose character is thereby reduced, to still hold office! - John Cauchi

A hearing on an application for a Judicial Review of the Report of a Parliamentary Select Committee that investigated how a multi-million pa'anga loan from China was spent on the reconstruction of Nuku'alofa was adjourned to April 4. Five of the six committee members, who are defendants in this case, appeared at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on Wednesday January 23 unprepared for the hearing and without legal representation.

Claims in Tonga's parliament that there was an illegal transference of government money to Tongasat have been denied by two Prime Ministers, in a row over how a USD$75 million grant from China to Tonga was used.