After a late start, Parliament closed early yesterday, Monday March 18, while the House was in a deadlock over a demand by the Acting Speaker Lord Tu‘ilakepa for the Prime Minister to explain why the six Bills he had tabled into parliament were urgent.
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Results for Parliament
Tuesday 19 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Saturday 16 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When the Tongan parliament closed for the week on Thursday, 14 March, there was public concern over the current composition of the Legislative Assembly, with only Cabinet Ministers and their four People's Representative supporters attending. From the House by Pesi Fonua
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Wednesday 13 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When parliament opened today, Wednesday March 13, noticeably missing were the seven Nobles’ Representatives: Lord Tu'ivakano, Lord Vaha'i, Lord Tu'ilakepa, Lord Tu'iha'angana, Lord Tu'i'afitu, Lord Nuku and Lord Fusitu'a. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
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Wednesday 13 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Parliament degenerated to a one-party political system yesterday afternoon, 12 March, when the only Members left in the House were Cabinet Ministers and their supporters, after the Noble's Representatives walked out, along with three People's Representatives, Tevita Lavemaau, Siaosi Sovaleni and Samiu Vaipulu.
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Tuesday 12 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Parliament closed early on Monday March 11, amid requests for parliament to extend its proceedings for seven or eight days. From the House by Pesi Fonua
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Thursday 7 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Government yesterday, 6 March after lunch retrieved from the House the six urgent bills that it had tabled into parliament, apparently withdrawing them for public consultation. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.
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Tuesday 5 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Parliament has been juggling with its working agenda since yesterday, Monday 4 March, going from one thing to another and back again. The House is trying to deal with a Petition tabled into Parliament as well as the Prime Minister's corrections to a letter informing the House that six Bills tabled into Parliament were urgent and that the House has to pass them before it continues with its proceedings. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
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Saturday 2 March 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Six Bills, tabled into parliament by Cabinet and labelled “urgent” by Tonga's Prime Minister, stirred fierce debate on Wednesday and Thursday. The House rejected a motion for public consultation over the proposed changes to the Constitution being debated. From the House By Pesi Fonua
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Wednesday 27 February 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Parliament passed the Foreign Investment Bill 2019 yesterday, 26 February with votes of 15-3, after a hot debate on whether or not to take into account the concerns of the Tonga Chamber of Commerce and the business community. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.
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Monday 25 February 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Better dialogue between government and the private sector will help to smooth key processes holding back the growth of business in Tonga, the Chamber of Commerce & Industry (TCCI) has told government, in a hurried submission on the Foreign Investment Bill last Friday, February 22.
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Monday 25 February 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s tense and conflicting politics were exposed when three petitions were presented to the HM King Tupou VI on 18 February, with a call to not only dissolve parliament, but also to establish a Royal Commission to investigate alleged wrong doings by government; and to appoint a caretaker government. Last week the Prime Minister, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva, responded by calling the petitions “trouble making”.
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Thursday 21 February 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A Public Consultation meeting on the Foreign Investment Bill 2019 between the Minister of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation, and Labour, Hon. Tu’i Uata and a few members of the Nuku'alofa business community was held this afternoon, 21 February at Parliament Building, Fanga’uta. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
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Wednesday 20 February 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
If Parliament’s most urgent task at the close of its first day, Monday, was the passing of a new Foreign Investment Bill 2019 in order to release $35 million in current Budget Support from donors, then other matters on the work agenda might have been expected to be put aside when the House reconvened. However, on Tuesday morning the issue of the Tonga cable black-out at the end of January occupied the attention of the House. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.
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Tuesday 19 February 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Budget support amounting to $35 million input from aid donors will not be released to the Tongan Government if they do not amend the Foreign Investment Act before the end of February, Tonga's parliament was told today. A letter from the Acting PM stirred up vociferous exchanges in the Tongan Parliament today. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
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Monday 18 February 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Three Petitions with over 10,000 signatures calling for King Tupou VI to dissolve the Tongan Parliament and establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Pohiva government, were presented to the Palace Office in Nuku'alofa this afternoon, 18 February. By Pesi Fonua
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Friday 25 January 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva raised laughter at an Australian function last night before proposing a toast to HM Queen Elizabeth II, when he said that he may need god's smile as another petition was being filed to the King to dissolve parliament.
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Saturday 10 November 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A vote by Tonga’s Members of Parliament on Thursday 8 November, agreed (16 - 4) to recognize that Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva and six cabinet ministers had inappropriately spent their budget allocations for the 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 Financial Years.
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Wednesday 7 November 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Parliament will resume its 2018 session at 10am tomorrow, Thursday 8 November, according to a parliamentary press release that was circulated early this evening. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
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Tuesday 6 November 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A special session of the Tongan Parliament that was scheduled for 7pm this evening, 6 November has been deferred indefinitely.
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Monday 5 November 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s 2017-18 Parliament was scheduled to end on 31 October 2018, but the session has continued into November because of difficulties the House faces in processing a Petition signed by 3,330 people calling for the Impeachment of the Prime Minister and six Cabinet Ministers. Now, the Speaker, Lord Fakafanua, in a sitting scheduled for 7:00pm tomorrow evening (Tuesday November 6), is expected to announce what parliament is going to do. From the House by Pesi Fonua.
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