Eke’s inaugural public speech was live-streamed from the Prime Minister’s office in Nuku’alofa this afternoon.
He congratulated the king on his appointment, mentioning the Tongan saying, ‘Oku tu’a e sino’ kae ‘eiki ‘a e fatongia’.
This means Eke is still a commoner, but his appointment by the king represents his duty as regal.
“‘Pea oku fai ai ‘a e tukupā ‘o fakatatau pea mo e tohi fakanofo”, he said in Tongan, meaning this was the basis of his undertaking to carry his duty according to his appointment letter.
He said the former Cabinet Ministers will continue to serve temporarily until his new Ministers are officially appointed.
He said the decision aims to ensure all constitutional requirements are fulfilled.
Dr Eke said the Acting Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu’s role as caretaker ended on Wednesday.
Eke emphasized the importance of continuity in governance during this period of change, expressing confidence in the capabilities of the current officials to uphold their responsibilities.
Eke has faced criticisms lately due to his insufficient communication about the developments in his meetings aimed at nominating his Cabinet lineup.
Observers have expressed concern that the public remains largely in the dark about the decisions and the rationale behind them, fostering a sense of distrust and frustration among constituents seeking transparency in the governmental process.
Many have called for more regular updates and more precise explanations of the selection criteria and discussions taking place during these important meetings.
It is understood that one significant challenge Eke encounters is the need to unify the MPs of his political faction. The fact that they are a mixture of people’s independently elected MPs and noble MPs not chosen by the constituents presents a significant issue for Eke.
The difficulty of dealing with this diverse composition has proven to be a barrier in the past, especially its lack of legally binding provisions within the legislation. This could hamper Eke’s ability to achieve timely agreements and complicate his efforts to address the diverse interests of all his MPs.