Results for Parliament

Economic growth will be on the top of the Tongan government's working agenda during the next financial year, HM King George Tupou V said when he opened the Tongan Legislative Assembly's 2010 session yesterday, June 10.

A Forum for Discussion on how to educate the Tongan public about the function of parliament, government and the law, and Tonga's political reform, was hosted by the Kolofo'ou Development Committee at the International Dateline Hotel on Friday, May 28.

Tonga's Magistrate Courts have a shortage of Magistrates, with only four sitting since January this year - a dramatic decrease from about 10 Magistrates who presided in the lower court in 2009.

If there was any doubt over the fact that the Tongan Legislative Assembly did not properly approve the boundaries of the 17 constituencies and the number of voters per constituency, before it closed its 2009 session on the evening of April 20, then the digital copies of the Minutes of proceedings in the House on April 19-20 clearly show that two different motions relating to the boundaries of constituencies were left hanging in mid-air when the House officially closed its 2009 session on the evening of April 20. By Pesi Fonua.

With only months to go to the election, the people's representatives as a power bloc are divided and incoherent. It lacks the cohesion that is required of a serious contender for the whip hand the new system has on offer. It is unlikely that they will be able to address these divisions in time for November and it is reasonable to expect the next PM and Cabinet to be mandated primarily by the nobles' united influence. - Sefita Hao'uli.

Interesting that you noted the PR's and Nobles' vote for a numerically undemocratic system as "ironic". While strictly numerical divisions would technically be more democratic, problems may arise in representing the needs of the "combination" islands. Reps must be truly familiar with the issues faced in both sets of islands, visit them regularly etc. - Josephine A. Latu.

Where is the much-vaunted "rule of law"? Where, even, is common sense? This whole parliamentary affair sounds suspiciously like the failures which preceded the M.V Ashika tragedy. That is, "We want this to happen so badly that we are willing to overlook . . ." You fill in the blank. - P. A. Langi.

Tonga's Political Reform and its November election is in a state of limbo because parliament, after spending two weeks of a special session to assess the Royal Constituency Boundaries Commission Report on proposed constituency boundaries, failed to legally confirm the boundaries of a proposed 17 Constituencies, before the House closed on Thursday, April 22. ... Both 'Akilisi Pohiva and 'Isileli Pulu did not think there was any need to debate over the Bills, they expressed their whole hearted trust on the Minister of Justice to draft good bills. The Speaker called for votes and the two Bills to Amend the Constitution of Tonga and to establish a Boundary Commission were passed. The vote for a Bill to Amend the Constitution was carried 25-0 in its second reading and 23-0 in its third reading. The Bill for the establishment of the Boundary Commission was carried with 23-0 in its second reading and 22-0 in its third reading. From the House. By Pesi Fonua.

The main purpose of my letter is to expose the misinformation and also the faulty logic in the ideas presented in Mr. Pohiva's politically motivated letter, which was presented in a very personal manner and not academically objective as one would normally expect from a list of well educated individuals. - Daniel K. Fale.