Editorial – The impeachment of Police Minister Piveni Piukala for allegedly violating Constitution Clause 70, ‘Offences against the Assembly’, has laid bare a staggering hypocrisy in Tonga’s governance.
While Parliament acts with lightning speed to punish a minister for offensive remarks, it remains deafeningly silent on an infinitely graver breach: the former government’s failure to account for $60 million in COVID-19 funds, a direct violation of the Constitution Clause 53.
The constitution clause 53 says: “When the Legislative Assembly shall meet the Treasurer shall present to the Legislative Assembly on behalf of the Cabinet an account of all moneys which have been received and expended during the current year or since the last meeting of the Assembly and the nature of the receipts and expenditure.”
This is not just inconsistency—it is institutionalised double standards. When a noble’s dignity is slighted, the machinery of justice grinds swiftly into motion. But when the Auditor General said he found no records or receipts of millions allocated for the COVID-19 disaster, the response was a shrug. If this is how Tonga defines accountability, then the system is not merely flawed; it is failing its people.
The $60 Million Question: Where’s the Outrage?
The Auditor General’s report exposed a shocking dereliction of duty: the former Hu’akavameiliku government was unable to produce proper records or receipts for $60 million in pandemic relief funds.
These were not discretionary expenses—they were lifelines for Tongans in crisis. Yet the Lord Speaker Fakafanua and Prime Minister Eke’s defence—that no rules required documentation—is as absurd as it is alarming.
Emergency spending does not mean abandoning accountability—clause 53 mandates transparency. Yet, despite the Auditor General’s damning findings, there have been no serious investigations, no prosecutions, no consequences.
The Speaker and Prime Minister’s dismissive stance sends a clear message: some breaches of the Constitution matter more than others.
Contrast with Piukala’s Case: Priorities laid bare
Compare this to the uproar over Police Minister Piveni Piukala’s remarks. His language—calling nobles “kulikuli” (smelly) and Parliament a “house of fools”—was undiplomatic, even crude. But his underlying frustration with corruption and incompetence resonates with many Tongans who see the same rot in their institutions.
Instead of addressing his critique, Lord Fohe moved swiftly to impeach him, and Parliament’s Privileges Committee acted with unusual efficiency. The message? Insult the nobility, and face immediate punishment. Misplace millions? Carry on.
The hypocrisy surrounding Tonga’s leadership is glaring: there is no record of how the $60 million was spent, yet silence prevails, while a minister’s insult to the powerful leads to instant consequences.
This stark contrast reveals that if the Constitution is weaponised to shield the elite but disregarded when it calls for fiscal responsibility, then Tonga’s democracy is merely performative, lacking substance.
The citizens deserve leaders who confront corruption with the same fervour they exhibit towards insults. The choice before Tonga’s leaders is clear: will they uphold the Constitution for everyone or only when it serves their interests?
True accountability cannot be selective, and if Parliament prioritises its image over integrity, public trust will continue to erode.
The people are watching closely, and the pressing question is no longer whether the system is broken, but whether those in power possess the courage to repair it.
