HA’APAI 12 constituency Member of Parliament has welcomed a motion for his private Bill to be further reviewed and resubmit for consideration by the House.

The Bill was tabled in Parliament last Wednesday (September 18th, 2013) in a report of the Standing Committee on Legislation.

Mo’ale Finau’s private Bill calls for the amendment of the Constitution to provide for people to elect Noble's Representatives to Parliament.

Finau accepted the motion put forward by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu.

Mo’ale asked the House to further discuss the report relating to his private Bill in the Whole House Committee.

“This is because it was not tabled in accordance with the normal procedure of the House,” maintained Mo’ale Finau.

THE GOVERNMENT of Tonga today received a letter from the People’s Republic of China to defer loan repayment to China scheduled to begin this Saturday, September 21st 2013.

THE Legislative Assembly continued to host visits  from schools in Tonga as part of its outreach programme.

THE Whole House Committee on Monday voted nine votes to eight votes for the Legislative Assembly not to discuss a petition alleging misconduct by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu.

This came when members of the House debated a report submitted by the Standing Committee on Privileges on allegation of Mr. Vaipulu’s inappropriate behaviour during a kava-Tonga drinking at Nasaleti hall in Neiafu earlier this year.

Parliamentarians also passed the four recommendations cited in the Standing Committee on Privileges report that supported its motion.

The Committee in it its meeting on August 30th, cited four reasons to back up their recommendations. First, the nature of the petition is inconsistent with the functions of Parliament outlined in clause eight of the Constitution.