Tongan Government accused of wild swing at Board Directors

Proceedings in the Tongan Parliament kicked off on a high note Tuesday, when the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva told members he was concerned that government was being accused of taking a wild swing on directors of six boards of public enterprises who refused to resign. 

A refusal to resign by two directors of the board of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, and their willingness to take their case to court was agitating the Prime Minister.

The PM stressed to the House that all the directors of the six boards of six Public Enterprises have to resign, to support the government’s reform of public enterprises. He said that there must be resignations by board directors so that government ccould move on forward with its reform programme. “The others have resigned, even though they know their legal rights.”

Government has 15 Public Enterprises, and each with boards of five or six directors. The Prime Minister said that government had decided to reduce the 15 boards to only five or six boards, and said the reform was supported by the Asian Development Bank.

The six boards of directors that have been told to voluntarily resign are:

* Tonga Broadcasting Commission

* Tonga Communications Corporation

* Tonga Post Ltd.

* Tonga Power Ltd.

*Tonga Water Board

* Tonga Waste Authority

Lord Fusitu’a expressed his amazement with the Prime Minister’s comment for boards of directors to set aside their legal rights and support the reform programme of government.

He pointed out that before any of these board members accepted the position to be a board member they had signed a three years contract, and to terminate a contract there is a procedure.

“Government just can’t tell directors to resign.”

The Deputy Prime Minister, Siaosi Sovaleni, reminded the House that there were other options besides going to court.

Exchanges in the House began to heat up but the Speaker Lord Tu’ivakano told the Prime Minister that issue was not for debate in the House. It was a matter for him to discuss with his ministers in Cabinet.

“Lets go to court!” said  ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

The PM earlier told the House that being in court was nothing new to him, and he had been there numerous times during his political life.

The House turned their attention to a bill that was tabled by the Deputy Prime Minister, Siaosi Sovaleni who is aso the Minister of  Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC).

The bill to amend the Environment Management Act 2010, aims to make it possible for an Environment Officer to fine a person who throws rubbish in a public place.

The Bill received the unanimous support of the House, and it was passed in its third reading 18-0.

The other controversial issue that was debated in the House was a Motion/Resolution tabled by Lord Tu’ilakepa, for government to dismiss the media adviser of the Prime Minister who was paid $500 (US$230) a day, three days a week and in August reduced to $400 (US$184) a day.

Lord Tu’ilakepa told the House that the PM told him that he did not know anything about the appointment of his media adviser, it was carried out by his CEO.

Lord Tu’ilakepa stressed that the media adviser was not recruited through the proper government procurement process and he had confirmed that by the Minister of Finance, ‘Aisake Eke.

‘Aisake Eke told the House that they stopped paying the media adviser until they went through the proper procurement process, but they had resumed paying him $400 a day on 3 August.

Mateni Tapueluelu moved for the Motion/Resolution to be downgraded to a motion, but Lord Tu’ilakepa insisted for his Motion/Resolution to remain as such. There was a feeling that a majority of the House would vote against a Motion/Resolution, but in favour on just a motion.

Lord Tu’ilakepa who appeared satisfied with the revelation that government did not follow proper procurement process to hire the PM’s Media Adviser in the first place withdrew his Motion/Resolution..

Source: PAC NEWS