Police Minister says Parlt’s rules must be “clear cut”; confirms proceedings against Lord Tu‘ilakepa

'Oku taupotu 'i lalo ha fakamatala faka-Tonga ki he ongoongo' ni

The law which allows the Speaker of Parliament to have the final say in interpreting the law of the House must be changed, Police Minster Māteni Tapueluelu has said.

Hon. Tapueluelu said Parliamentary rules had given the Opposition and the Speaker the opportunity to make their own interpretation of what they thought the House rules should say about any submission to the House by the government.

He said that when there was an argument over the interpretation of the rules, Clause 31 of the Parliamentary procedures said the Speaker must deliver his own interpretation and the House must follow.

This was no matter whether the Speaker’s interpretation was legally correct or not.

Hon. Tapueluelu said the government’s lawyer has advised that the  wording of the Parliament’s laws and rules book must be “clear cut.”

He said this kind of political playing must be stopped and this was why he declared in the House recently that the government would impeach Acting Speaker Lord Tu’ilakepa after he exercised the clause.   

He confirmed to Television Tonga last week the government would also take court action against the king’s noble.

Lord Tu’ilakepa’s controversial decision

In March the government submitted to the House the Bills which were due to be returned to Parliament after they had been discussed in a two-week public consultations.

The government submitted the Bills under the law of urgency according to the law clause 131 which says:

“The Legislative Assembly shall not proceed upon a Bill after its first reading for a period of two weeks or such longer time that the Assembly decides is needed to allow members to scrutinise the Bill, and for the public to make submissions, but this shall not apply to –

(a) Appropriation Bills; and

(b) Bills certified by the Prime Minister to be urgent.”

However, Lord Tu’ilakepa, disregarded the way in which the government benches interpreted clause 131, which requires the Prime Minister to certify the urgency of the Bills.

The Acting Speaker said  that when the Prime Minister certified that the six new Bills were urgent, he should have also explained why were they urgent.

The government disputed this, saying the law did not require the Prime Minister to give the reasons why the Bills were urgent.

Lord Tu’ilakepa then used Clause 31 of Parliamentary rules to justify his interpretation and ordered the government’s new Bills be passed to the Parliament’s Standing Committee, from which they were later taken for more public consultation.

The main points

  • The law which allows the Speaker of Parliament to have the final say in interpreting the law of the House must be changed, Policer Minster Māteni Tapueluelu has said.
  • Hon. Tapueluelu said Parliamentary rules had given the Opposition and the Speaker the opportunity to make their own interpretation of what they thought the House rules should say about any submission to the House by the government.

For more information

Tonga police minister threatens to impeach Acting Speaker

About The Author

Sometimes when a business is growing, it needs a little help.

Right now Kaniva News provides a free, politically independent, bilingual news service for readers around the world that is absolutely unique. We are the largest New Zealand-based Tongan news service, and our stories reach Tongans  wherever they are round the world. But as we grow, there are increased demands on Kaniva News for translation into Tongan on our social media accounts and for the costs associated with expansion. We believe it is important for Tongans to have their own voice and for Tongans to preserve their language, customs and heritage. That is something to which we are strongly committed. That’s why we are asking you to consider sponsoring our work and helping to preserve a uniquely Tongan point of view for our readers and listeners.

spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Latest news

Related news