Results for Parliament

Registration of candidates for the 2010 Tonga General Election will be held for two days in October on a day to be announced soon, said the Election Supervisor Pita Vuki on September 2.

The Prime Minister Hon Dr Feleti Sevele in a press conference today strongly disputed a statement made by the departing Mr Justice Warwick Andrew that he was not allowed to continue to sit in the Supreme Court by virtue of a cabinet decision.

I would maintain there is accountability with check and balance in place with the appointment and functional duties of the office of Lord Chancellor and others, to ensure independence of the judiciary. The repealed Judiciary Services Commission, glaringly lacked accountability with the required check and balance in place, to ensure, as Mokofisi has relayed, it does not run afoul of the law. - Moto Ki Lau Hola.

There has been a lot of concerns about the independence of the judiciary branch of government in Tonga. I believe that these concerns are valid. For this reason, I have two suggestions to resolve this problem. - Siosaia Fatani.

People's Representative 'Akilisi Pohiva has been suspended from the House for two weeks without pay in a disciplinary action on August 19 when the Speaker announced that the member is not allowed to set foot "on one inch of the parliament compound during his suspension" until September 3.

Our political reform will not be completed without Judiciary Independence. His Majesty wants to preserve His privileges to appoint and dismiss justices. This is an egregious breach of democratic principles: The Constitution must be amended to remove those privileges from His Majesty's Executive power. - Sione Akemeihakau Mokofisi.

Chief Justice Anthony Ford during his last day in office on August 13 stressed the importance of ensuring the independence of the Tongan judiciary.

As president of the Tonga Law Society, I wish to express my serious concern about the approval by Privy Council of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to inquire into reports that Government has attempted unduly to influence the independence of the judiciary, as conveyed in a media release of the Prime Minister's Office on 5 August 2010.- Laki Niu, President, Tonga Law Society, 11 August 2010

Kuo tau fo'i hono 'eke'i e fakamatala pa'anga 'a hai mo e kautaha 'a hai, kae lilo pe 'a e FIHDRM. 'Ai mai ke tau 'ilo pea ke 'ilo ki ai e kakai kae ma'a e ngaue. Pea kuo toki mahino mai e lanu totonu e kautaha ni, ta 'oku 'ikai ko e ako'i mo taukave'i e totonu 'a e tangata ka ko e faha'i fakapolitikale 'a e ki'i ni'ihi tokosi'i. - Samiu Sika.