Editor’s comment
Political discussion in Tonga is dominated by the idea that either one of the nobility or the Democratic Party could become Tonga’s next Prime Minister if they can get the support of the independents, but I would like to ask this question: Why don’t the independents take a firm stand and tell the Party and the nobility they also have the right to the premiership?
Let’s look at some hard figures.
The independents have nine candidates, there are nine for the nobility, but only eight for the Democratic Party. Dr ʻAisake Eke declared he accepted the Party nominating him to become its MP for Tongatapu 5 but he was still independent.
The independents can form themselves into an association or a voting bloc, elect their candidate for Prime Minister and attract the support of the nobility and the Democratic Party by offering them ministerial posts.
During the election campaign many voters said they wanted all 26 parliamentarians to work together, build the country and put aside their political differences.
The independents can ask ‘Akilisi Pohiva to support them by allowing some of his Party’s elected MPs to vote with them so they have the numbers. They can do the same deal with the nobility.
It is about time the Democratic Party and the Independents teamed up and made sure the power stays with them and not the nobility.
In the past four years the noble-dominated Parliament has been battered by seemingly never ending questions over Tongasat, the MA60 aircraft debacle and the disbursement of Chinese loan funds.
There are a number of strong reasons to support the idea that the independents should become the focus of who should become the Prime Minister.
The independents have the qualifications and experience, many as top ranking civil servants.
There are two potential Prime Ministerial candidates from the independents: Siaosi Sovaleni and Dr ‘Aisake Valu Eke.
Siaosi Sovaleni
Sovaleni was dux of Tonga High School and is the son of the late Dr Langikavaliku who was Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister for more than 20 years. Langikavaliku, Tonga’s first PhD holder, was the first person in Tonga to formally submit to His Late Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV a constitutional reform proposal for Tonga, which he presented in 1975.
Dr Langikavaliku’s proposal was the basis for ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s political vision and his fight for Tonga to become a democratic country.
If Sovaleni, currently CEO at the Ministry of Enterprise, became the kingdom’s next Prime Minister, he would fulfil his father’s 39 year old dream of a truly democratic Tonga.
Sovaleni could also pick Fe’ao Vakata and pull him out of the nobility team. They were at school and university together and are still close friends. Vakata is currently the Minister for the Ministry of Public Enterprise.
Dr ‘Aisake Eke
Dr ‘Aisake Eke was the candidate who gained the most votes, with 1682 ballots. This figure suggests he has the right to become Tonga’s next Prime Minister. Dr Eke’s performance during the life of the last Parliament proved he has the leadership qualities needed to build a nation that will benefit all Tongans.
He proposed a bill for the Prime Ministerial post to be elected by the people and not the 26 elected members of parliament even though it was outvoted when it was put to ballot in the House.
If the bill was passed it would make Tonga a fully democratic government because the leadership of the country would be based on the will of the majority.
Dr Eke could work with either the nobility or the Party and the independents. He was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party, especially when agendas in the House were put to the ballot. Dr Eke always voted for the Party even when he was appointed by Lord Tu’ivakano as Tonga’s Minister for Finance.
‘Akilisi Pohiva
‘Akilisi Pohiva should be given a chance to become Tonga’s next Prime Minister. For the past 30 years he has pursued the vision of Tonga becoming a democracy. The people have repeatedly returned him to Parliament.
His presence in Parliament is clearly the will of the people and the will of the people is the basis of a democratic government.
The chance for him to become Tonga’s Prime Minister relies heavily on a good deal he could make with the independents.
Liberal
It seems to me that 90 percent of the independents are strongly liberal and, like Dr Eke, they could support the Democratic Party’s political agenda.
‘Etuate Lavulavu, MP for Vava’u 16, indicated to the Party before the election campaign began that he wanted to join the Party and represent them from Vava’u 16.
However, before the Party met to discuss its list for the outer islands, ‘Akilisi’s son-in-law, Mateni Tapueluelu, published what he claimed was the official Party list in Kele’a newspaper.
It prompted Deputy Leader ‘Isileli Pulu to appear in the media and deny that it was the Party’s official list. At the time he mentioned ‘Etutate Lavulavu as one of their potential candidates for Vava’u. However the Kele’a list stood and Pohiva later endorsed it as the Party’s list for the outer island.
After the election only one Party member from Ha’apai 13 was elected and the Democrats lost their seat in Ha’apai 12 to the independents. The Party’s candidate list for Vava’u and Niua were not elected.
There was also a possibility that Saia Piukala could work together with Pohiva and the Party. His brother Piveni Piukala was the Party’s candidate list member from Vava’u 14 in 2010, even though he was not elected.
Sione Vuna Fa’otusia was involved with the Human Rights and Democracy Movement (HDM). HDM was a body initiated by Pohiva and the Democratic Party was a branch of the HDM.
Samiu Kiuta Vaipulu, the former Deputy Prime Minister, is a good person himself, but based on his performance in the past four parliamentary years I do not think he has the leadership qualities and sense of political direction to make him a Prime Minister or even a Deputy Prime Minister.
His political judgement will remain in question after the debacle over the introduction of the Chinese-made Xian MA60 aircraft, which was withdrawn after political and financial pressure from New Zealand.
Nobility
It is time for the nobility to remain as purely honorary representative and leave the leadership of the nation to the people’s MPs.
They were voted in by only 33 members of the nobility and not the majority of the people.
Lord Tu’ivakano, the former Prime Minister was re-elected as one of the nobles’ representatives to Parliament last week, is a good person himself.
However, too many questions remain unanswered about the way in which US$49 million /TOP97,804,391.22 million grant money from China found its way instead to Princess Pilolevu and her satellite company under his watch.
Dr Langikavaliku and the roots of the Democrats
Pohiva first knew about Dr Langikavaliku’s proposal for bringing democracy to the kingdom when he was a student at the University of the South Pacific in 1976.
The proposal proposed that the Privy Council to set up a commission to review Tonga’s constitution.
Pohiva said they then determined to pursue it and to make sure Tonga’s political system changed accordingly.
Kenneth Bain quoted Dr Langikavaliku in his book The New Friendly Islander: A Voice from Within:
“…in 1975 I put up a specific proposal to his majesty for constitutional change, designed to give people a greater voice in the course of their affairs. It was debated in cabinet at 12 separate meetings, deferred time after time and eventually dropped… It aimed to change to a fully elected system over a period of time not less than nine and not more than fifteen year …Now (1991) sixteen years later time may be running out. It is vital in my opinion that the government takes that initiative and announces a Constitutional Review Commission. It should just accept the principle of examining these matters and start the process publicly. ..But sometimes I don’t know whether we can afford to wait too long.”
The elected independents are:
1.Siaosi Sovaleni
2.Dr ‘Aisake Eke
3.Poasi Tei
4. Sione Vuna Fa’otusia
5.Viliami Hingano Manuopangai
6.Dr Saia Piukala
7.Samiu Vaipulu
8.‘Etuate Lavulavu
9.Fe’ao Vakata
The main points
- Independent MPs should form a voting bloc and determine who becomes Tonga’s next Prime Minister.
- The independents gained more votes than the Democrats and have an equal number of seats to the nobles.
- The independents should seek alliances with the Democrats or the ranks of the nobility to elect the next Prime Minister.
- Front runners for the PM’s positions are independents Siaosi Sovaleni and Dr ‘Aisake Valu Eke and Democrat leader ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
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