Parliament of Tonga

THE HOUSE ADJOURNS UNTIL MONDAY 13 JULY 2009

Na'e kamata e Fale Alea

THE HOUSE ADJOURNS UNTIL MONDAY 13 JULY 2010

The House approved on Monday 22 June 2009 that the House be adjourned until Monday 13 May 2009. This is to allow members of the Executive to finalise the 2009/2020 Budget Estimate before July 1st 2009.

Posted 25 June 2009

THE HOUSE PASSED BILL NUMBER 1/2009 A BILL FOR AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE MONEYS TO THE SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF TONGA

The House passed on Tuesday 23 June 2009 Bill Number 1/2009 A Bill for An Act to Appropriate Moneys to the service of the Government - The Budget Estimate for 2009-2010 and it deems to come into operation on the 1st July 2009.

Posted 23 June 2009

THE HOUSE PASSED BILL NUMBER 2/2009 A BILL FOR AN ACT TO AMEND THE ACT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF TONGA

The House passed on Monday 22 June 2009 Bill Number 2/2009 A Bill for and Act to amend the the consitution of Tonga. Ammendment has been made to Clause 59 of the Principal Act by adding the following proviso at the end of the clause:

____"Provided that a representative of the Nobles or of the people who is appointed pursuant to Clause 51, shall be entitled to remain as a representative until the next occuring general election, subject to any other provision contained in his commission or in this Constitution."

The original Clause 59 stated "The Legislative Assembly shall be composed of the Privy Councillors and Cabinet ministers, who shall sit as nobles, the representatives of the nobles, and representatives of the people." (Law 1 of 1914.)

Posted 22 June 2009

"FIRST AMONG EQUALS" A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE FOR PARLIAMENT SPEAKERS

  The “First Among Equals” course will be held at Parliament House in Brisbane from 22nd to 26th June 2009.  This Course is being designed and developed by Center for Democratic Institutions (CDI) with the support of the Parliament of Queensland, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the World Bank Institute. It is aimed specifically at those parliamentarians occupying key positions in their respective legislatures – ie. current Speakers, Deputy Speakers and other members who may be called upon to preside over parliamentary proceedings and those who may aspire to these roles. The Course is designed to help them improve the conditions, quality and public standing of their parliaments.

Posted 18 June 2009

THE HOUSE WORKS AFTER HOURS TO DEBATE THE KINGDOM'S PROGRAM BUDGET ESTIMATE

The Hon. Acting Speaker of the House Hon. Tu'iha'angana has approved the House to work after hours beginning on Monday 15 June. This is to debate the kingdom's Program Budget Estimate which is needed to be finalised and approved by the House before the commencement of the new financial year in the beginning of July.

Posted 15 June 2009

OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

The Hon. Speaker of the House Hon. Tu'ilakepa left the Kingdom on Saturday 6 of June to represent the Parliament of Tonga on a goodwill visit to the People's Republic of China. The Hon. Speaker is accompanied by the Deputy Clerk & Legal Adviser Mr. Sione Tekiteki on this official visit. The visit is a response to an official invitation from the People's Republic of China. The whole purpose of this offical visit is to strengthen the bilateral ties between the Parliament of the Kingdom of Tonga and the People's Republic of China.

While the Hon. Speaker is away, the Nobles Number 2 Representative of the Ha'apai Group, Hon. Tu'iha'angana has been appointed by His Majesty King George V as the Acting Speaker of the House until the return of the Hon. Speaker.

Posted 8 June 2009

CONSTITUTIONAL AND ELECTORAL COMMISSION FINALISES INTERIM REPORT FOR SUBMISSION

After two further weeks of deliberations, the Constitutional and Electoral Commission is pleased to announce the successful completion of its Interim Report.

Schedule 3 of the Constitutional and Electoral Commission Act 2008 requires the Commission, within five months of appointment, to submit its Interim Report and any recommendations to His Majesty in Council and the Legislative Assembly.

The Interim Report will be submitted to His Majesty and the Honourable Speaker on Friday, the 5th of June 2009 and will be published for distribution to members of the public on 6th June 2009.  As has been stated previously, the Interim Report will contain no recommendations but the Commission is seeking written submissions on the contents of the Report from the public.

All members of the public, both individuals and groups, are invited to make submissions to the Commission. 

Please note that the closing date for submissions will be Monday, 6th July 2009.

In his speech opening the 2009 Parliamentary session on the 28th of May, His Majesty acknowledged the work of the Constitutional and Electoral Commission.  The Commission reaffirms its commitment to the continuity of the political reforms as expressed by His Majesty “the purpose of these reforms is to sustain the well being of the people and the protection of their rights...these aspirations will be achieved if there is trust and respect amongst the major parties of our Government.”

Authorised and Issued By:

Rosamond Bing
Director
Secretariat of the Constitutional and Electoral Commission
Ph: +676 28 820
Email: cecdirector@gmail.com or director@cec.to

29th of May, 2009

THE PARLIAMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF TONGA COMMENCES SITTING ON MONDAY 1ST JUNE 2009.

OPENING OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF TONGA

His Majesty King George V has officially opened the Legislative Assembly of the Kingdom of Tonga today, 28th of May 2009. This is a historical event as this is the first time His Majesty officially opened the Parliament of Tonga since his accession to the throne of Tonga in 2006.

Below is the Tongan Version of His Majesty Speech to mark the event.

To Folofola Huufi 'o e Falealea

‘Oku ou fiefia ‘i ho'o laumalie lelei kae‘uma'a ‘a e kau Fakafofonga ‘o e Hou'eiki Nopele, Hou'eiki Minisita ‘o e Pule'anga pea mo ho tau kainga koia kuo fili ke nau fakafofonga ‘a e kakai.
‘I he ta'u ni ‘oku tau fiefia ‘i hono tali lelei ‘a hono fokotu'u ‘e he Pule'anga Siapani ‘a ho nau ‘Ofisi Talafekau Lahi ‘i Nuku'alofa ni pea ‘oku faka'ilonga ai ‘i heni ‘a e va fe'ofo'ofani pea mo loto fetokoni'aki ‘a ho tau ongo Pule'anga.
Ko e holo fakafokifa koia ‘a e ‘ikonomi ‘a mamani ‘i he mahina ‘e 12 kuo hili atu, ko e fakamasiva lahi taha eni kuo hoko ‘i mamani talu mei he ngaahi ta'u 1930 tupu  pea neongo na'e lave mai ki Tonga ni ‘a e ngaahi fua ‘e ni'ihi ‘o e fakatu'utamaki, na'e monu'ia ‘a e fonua koe‘uhi na'e kei tupu pe ‘a ‘etau ‘ikonomi.  Na'e ‘ikai ke a'usia ‘a ‘etau ‘amanaki koia mei he ta'u kuo ‘osi ka na'e kei hulu pe ‘a e Pa'anga Hu mai ‘i he fakamole ‘i he Ta'u Fakapa'anga 2007/2008 ‘o tatau ai pe pea mo e Ta'u Fakapa'anga 2008/2009.
Na'e momofi ki he Pule'anga ‘a hono fatongia ke fakatefito ‘e ne tokanga ki he ako pea mo e mo'ui ‘a e kakai. Na'e lava ‘a hono tanaki ‘a e pa'anga ke tokoni ki hono langa fo'ou ‘a e ngaahi maumau mei he ‘alotamaki ‘a natula ‘aki ‘a hono tanaki ‘a e $15 miliona pea ‘oku loto ‘a e Pule'anga ke tanaki ‘a e pa'anga ko ‘eni ke a'u ki he $75 miliona ‘i he ta'u ‘e 10 ka hoko mai.  ‘E fakaha ‘i heni ki he ngaahi Pule'anga kotoa ‘oku nau fa'a me'a'ofa Tokoni mai ki ho tau fonua ‘oku tau tokoni'i pe kitautolu ‘e kitautolu.  Ko e pa'anga muli ‘a e fonua ‘oku fe'unga mo e fakamole ‘i he mahina 5 ‘i he koloa hu mai.
‘E makatu'unga ‘a e Patiseti ‘o e 2009/2010 ‘i hono ohi ‘a e tupu faka'ikonomika pea mo hono malu'i ‘o e ‘ikonomi mei he taufa kuo to ki he maketi ‘a mamani. ‘E a'usia eni ‘i hono tauhi ‘a e fakamole ‘a e Pule'anga ke ‘oua na'a holo mei hono tu'unga ‘o e ‘aho ni, pea mo hono fakahanga ‘a e fakamole ki he ngaahi ngaue'anga pea mo hono fakalahi ange ‘a e ngaahi faingmalie ke ma'u ngaue ‘a ho tau kakai. ‘Oku tau ‘amanaki ke fai ‘a e ngaahi fakamole koeni mei he ‘etau pa'anga pe ‘a kitautolu, pea tokoni ki ai ‘a e ngaahi no mei he Pangike Fakalakalaka ‘a ‘Esia kae ‘uma'a ‘a e Lipapulika ‘o e Kakai Siaina.
‘I he ta'u ‘e ua ‘oku hanga mai, ‘e fokotu'u atu ‘e he Pule'anga ha Ngaahi Lao Fakaangaanga ki he Fale Alea ke  fakamafai'i ‘a hono fokotu'u ha Pule'anga Fakakolo ‘o ho tau kolomu'a Nuku'alofa. Ko e taumu'a ‘o e fokotu'u koeni ke lava lelei ange ‘a hono malu'i ‘o e mo'ui ‘a e kakai, malu'i ‘e nau koloa pea mo ho no malu'i ‘a e ngaahi fale Pisinisi.
‘I he to'u Fale Alea koeni ‘oku ha ai ‘a e $1 miliona ke teuteu ‘aki ‘a e ‘Otu motu Niua ke nau ma'u ‘a e ngaahi melie koia ‘o e tupu faka'ikonomika ‘a e fonua.

'I he to'u Fale Alea koeni ‘oku ha ai ‘a e $1 miliona ke teuteu ‘aki ‘a e ‘Otu motu Niua ke nau ma'u ‘a e ngaahi melie koia ‘o e tupu faka'ikonomika ‘a e fonua. ‘E fakamole ‘e he Pule'anga ‘a e $1 miliona ki hono fakapa'anga ‘o e ako fakatekinikale pea mo e ako ngaue ‘i Tonga ni kotoa.
‘Oku ou tui ‘oku totonu ke tau hoko atu ai pe ‘a e ngaahi liliu fakapolitikale ne tau kamata pea ‘oku ou loto ke makatu'unga ‘a e ngaahi liliu koeni ‘i hono fokotu'u mai ‘e he Fale Alea ha Palemia ne fili mei he kau Fakafofonga, pea mo hono foaki kakato ‘e he Fakataha Tokoni ‘a hono ngaahi mafai faka Pule'anga ki ha Kapineti ne fokotu'u mai ‘e he Palemia mei he kau Fakafofonga ‘o e Fale Alea.
‘I he kaha'u vave mai pe, ‘e ‘oatu ki Fale Alea ‘a e Fakamatala mo e Fokotu'u ‘a e Komisiona ki he Liliu faka-Konisitutone pea mo e Fili faka Fale Alea. ‘Oku loloa fe'unga pe ‘a e ta'u ‘e ua ‘oku hanga mai ke fai ‘a e feme'a'aki ki he ngaahi liliu ko'eni. Ko e taumu'a ‘o e ngaahi liliu ni ko hono tauhi ‘a ho tau kakai, malu'i ‘a ‘enau ngaahi totonu kotoa pe. ‘Oku tau haka ‘i he langi kuo tau ko ho tau fonua ni ko e fonua motu'a. Pea ko e hala koia ‘oku ta sipinga ki ai ‘e tau liliu fakapolitikale, ne tofa mai ia mei he Senituli 19 ‘e he Hou'eiki koia ne nau fa'u ‘e tau Konisitutone. Koe'uhi ko e ‘uhinga koeni, ‘oku totonu leva ke maau melino pea mahino ‘a e ngaahi liliu. ‘E hoko ‘a e ngaahi faka'amu ni ‘o kapau ‘e feveitokai'aki ‘a e ngaahi faha'i kotoa pe ‘o ho tau Pule'anga.
‘Oku ou faka'amu ‘e tauhi koe ‘e he ‘Otua ‘Eiki Sea pea ‘oku ou fie fakaha ‘i heni ‘a e poupou ‘a e Pule'anga kiate koe ‘i ho fatongia mamafa ke tauhi ‘a e Ngeia ‘o e Fale Alea.

Posted 28 May 2009

RESULT OF 2009 BY-ELECTIONS

By-elections for Nobles seats vacated by HSH Tu'ipelehake and the Late Hon. Fohe were completed on Thursday Morning 21st May 2009. Hon. Tu'iha'angana was re-elected as the Nobles Number 2 Representative for the Ha'api Group and Hon. Vaha'i as the Nobles Number 3 Representative for Tongtapu. Hon. Tu'iha'angana is replacing HSH Tu'ipelehake who was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Food in late April 2009 and Hon. Vaha'i repalced Hon. Fohe who passed away in April 2009.

Posted 21, May 2009.

HSH Prince Tu'ipelehake

HSH Tu'ipelehake resigned as Noble Representative of the Ha'apai Group to take up his new appointment as the new Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Food.

Posted 11 May, 2009

Parliament opens 28 May and sits 1 June 2009