Speaker of Tongan Parliament says league trip allegations misleading Featured
The Clerk of Parliament Gloria Pole'o, (left), Speaker Lord Fakafanua and Deputy Clerk Sione Vikilani Photo: Tonga Parliament
18 October, 2018. The Speaker of Tonga's parliament says the cost of sending MPs to this weekend's rugby league game in New Zealand is not what critics claim.
This follows criticism this week about the extravagance of flying parliamentarians to watch Tonga play Australia in Auckland on Saturday.
A statement from parliament says an invitation from Tonga Rugby League was accepted for a delegation to witness an historic game and show support for the team.
It said the invitation was adopted by collective resolution and not unilaterally approved by the Acting Speaker or Nobles' MPs as alleged.
It said three MPs including the Speaker Lord Fakafanua, as well as three staff, will travel to the match.
Fakafanua said other parliamentarians who are currently on business overseas will join the delegation.
He said the travel cost for the delegation is well under $US35,000 and nowhere near the $US87,000 that critics have alleged.
-RNZI
2 comments
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Why would you as a parliamentarian not pay your own fare if you want to go on a private trip ? It's because of this kind of going on that cause problems . Both side of the house should be wary of using public funds for non Governmental purposes as this Government is always looking for something to blow out of proportion . There is nothing wrong with traveling to the games , so long as one pays for the trip from his pocket .This invitation was not something that one has to drop everything and jump on the plane all expenses payed for by the tax payer NO ! Why go anyway ? The King of Tonga is there , the whole of Tonga is there because His there . Although we came second best it's an honour to be beaten by the champ , congratulation to the Kangaroos . P.S stop spreading unsubstantiated claims , that's for women to do ! .
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There are only two Houses (or Members of Parliament [MP]) in Parliament, viz., the House of the Nobles (i.e., Noble's Representatives [NRs]) and the House of the People (i.e., People's Representatives [PRs]. Strictly speaking, both NRs and PRs (Houses) are expected to represent one and the same people, working in different ways for the unified benefits of the whole of Tongan society.
The two Houses (NRs and PRs) can be taken as legitimate political parties in opposition to such illegitimate so-called political parties as Paati TOA (PTOA) and Paati Tufunga Fonua, Paati 'ae Kau Masiva and Paati Tu'uloa. Paati Toa has done so much irreparable damage to the seat of power in Tonga that it must be done away all at once, disallowing the others from coming into being.