Tonga

The speaker, Lord Tu’ivakano informed members that since parliament’s closure in October 2015 two of the 26 members of the House had lost their seats.

The People's Representative for the Tongatapu Constituency No. 4, Mateni Tapueluelu lost his seat on 11 December 2015 under a Supreme Court Decision that declared his election in the 29 November 2014 election was unlawful.

Mateni Tapueluelu held Tongatapu 4’s seat with 783 votes while the seat for Vava’u 16 was held by ‘Etuate Sungalu Lavulavu with 767 votes.

Nominations date has yet to be announced.

A former Tongan rugby captain has called on Pacific Island rugby unions to refuse to release their players to New Zealand clubs until the clubs can prove they have a full support plan in place.

Inoke Afeaki was commenting on revelations that some clubs and agents are bending immigration rules to find jobs for Pacific players to keep them in the country longer.

Justin Tkatchenko, the Papua New Guinea Minister for National Events, Sports and Tourism gave the assurance to the Tongan Media at the Scenic Hotel in Fua’amotu.

The Minister headed a delegation of government officials and private sector; including architects and private investors who arrived in Tonga Friday for four days, until Tuesday.

'Etuate Lavulavu was found guilty on three counts of conspiracy to commit bribery on three separate occasions in his 2014 election campaign on Vava'u.

In his judgement, Chief Justice Owen Paulsen said Lavulavu had given cash gifts to three different groups ahead of the election, in clear breach of electoral laws.

In a press conference in Tonga this week, Tkatchenko told Tonga Internal Affairs Minister,  Sosefo Fe'aomoeata Vakata that PNG will identify and assist Tonga in areas where it can.

"Three years is suitable enough time to prepare, compared to the amount of time Papua New Guinea had to prepare for the 2015 Games, and we want to be able to help start immediately," said Tkatchenko.

Tkatchenko said besides assistance with infrastructure and planning, PNG will also help Tonga athletes prepare under the High Performance Training Centre in Port Moresby.

Stated from the Australian High Commission’s office in Tonga, Ms. Bishop has appointed Mr. Andrew Ford to continue and uphold the bilateral relation of Australia to Tonga including all matters and tasks regards the country in Tonga.

Reconvening after adjourning for more than three-months, parliament’s tentative agenda includes not only Government Bills but Regulations and various Reports of Parliament Standing Committees.

The last sitting was in October last year

Radio Tonga reports that Chief Justice Owen Paulsen said that Lavulavu had overspent beyond the legal requirements during his 2014 election campaign on Vava'u.

The prosecution said that Lavulavu had personally carried out road construction as part of his campaign, while giving money to people on the day of the election to induce votes.

The main aim of the trip is to assesses the Pacific Kingdom’s sporting infrastructure and come up with an estimate monetary figure that Papua New Guinea Government will give to Tonga in its preparation to host the 2019 Pacific Games. 

Tkatchenko told Loop PNG, that engineers and architectures from the Department of Works and PNG Sports Foundation CEO  Peter Tsiamalili Jnr will be accompanying him for the four-day trip.

“We will come back with a decision because it is a fact finding trip.