Tonga Law Society deeply concerned with the current constitutional amendment Featured
Tonga Law Society Statement on the Constitutlonal Amendment passed by parliament on 15 October 2020:
The Tonga Law Society is deeply concerned at the amendment to the Constitution of Tonga passed unanimously by Parliament on 15 October 2020.
The amendment inserts a new clause 89A into the Constitution, which requires every Court or Tribunal in the Kingdom to take Tonga's "customs, traditions, practices, values and usages" into consideration, where relevant, in deciding any matter before them.
The Constitution is the supreme law of Tonga, which was enacted by King George Tupou I in 1875. It has far reaching effect and is of utmost importance for the people of Tonga.
The amendment to the Constitution passed by Parliament on 15 October was passed without any consultation with the Tongan people or prior disclosure to the people as to the content of the proposed amendment.
The views of the Tonga Law Society, as the representative body of legal practitioners in Tonga, were not sought. In bypassing the consultation process, Parliament has denied the Tongan people the most fundamental right to be heard on a matter of elemental importance to every Tongan subject.
It is a fundamental function of the Tonga Law Society to promote the interests of the public in relation to legal matters. Due process demands comprehensive consultation with those persons potentially affected whenever a significant change in the law is proposed - most particularly when those changes involve the Constitution of Tonga.
The failure of Parliament to adhere to due process in passing this amendment is a disturbing development.
The Tonga Law Society considers that the extent and manner to which Tongan customs should be incorporated into law is a matter on which the Tongan people will have many different views. Those views should be heard.
There is no "quick fix" and careful consideration needs to be given to this matter.
Sione Tu'itavake Fonua
President, Tonga Law Society
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KO E LAO FÉ IA 'OKU FEPAKIPAKI MO E KONISITUTONÉ, PEA FEPAKIPAKI MO E NGAAHI ANGA FAKAFONUÁ, TUKU-FAKA-HOLÓ, ANGA MAHENĪ, ANGA MAHU'INGÁ 'OKU FAKA-'AONGA'I?
'Oku mo'oni e Law Society he 'oku 'ikai ke mafai 'a e Fale Aleá tokotahá ke liliu 'a e Konisitutoné. Ko e fa'ufa'u laó pe mo e fakalele'i laó. Ko e liliu Konisitutoné faka'osi na'e fai 'e Tupou V 'i he 2010 pea 'a'ahi 'a e Kōmiti Liliu Konisitutoné 'o fanongo ki he loto 'o e kakaī. Pea na'e loto ki ai 'a e va'á 'e 3 'o e Pule'angá.
TOKĀTELINE TEMOKALATÍ: VA'A 3 'O E PULE'ANGÁ
Ko e faka-temokalati 'o e Pule'anga Tongá ko e tau'atāina māvahevahe 'a e Va'á 'e Tolú: Va'a Fakahoko Laó (judiciary), Va'a Fakalele 'o e Pule'angá (executive), mo e Va'a Fokotu'u Laó (legislative), tautefito ki he kaunga 'a e Konisitutoné.
'Oku totonu nai ke liliu tokotaha pe 'e he Fale Aleá (legislative) 'a e Konisitūtoné ta'e-loto ki ai 'a e ongo va'a 'e uá? 'Ikai ko e tu'utu'uni faka-tikitato ia 'e he mafai 'o e Fale Aleá kenau pule fakaleveleva lōua ki he 'enau ngaahi laó mo e Konisitūtoné?
'Oku 'ikai totonu faka-temokalati ke liliu pē 'e he Fale Aleá 'a e Konisitutoné koe'uhí 'oku nau fie liliu ha laó; pe ko 'enau feinga liukava; pe ko ha'á nau teuteu lulu-tava 'anautolu 'i he koloa mo e kelekele 'o e fonuá?
FATONGIA 'O E KONISITŪTONÉ?
Manatu ko e fatongia 'o e Konisitūtoné ko hono malu'i 'o e totonu 'a e kakaī mei he mafai ta'e-fakangatangata 'o e Pule'angá. Pea 'oku malu'i 'e he Konisitūtoné 'a e totonu faka-fo'ituitui 'a e tokosi'í, mo e taautahá nima-vaivaí (marginalized citizens), mei he fiema'u vivili 'a e tokolahí (majority) nima-mālohí.
'Ikai 'oku mahinomai 'a e loto 'o e Fale Aleá ke pule fakaleveleva 'a hotau ngaahi anga faka-fonuá 'i he laó kotoa? Mahu'inga ange 'a e fiema'u vivili 'a e tokolahí ka e faka-ta'e'aonga'i 'a e malu'i 'o e totonu taautahá 'e he Konisitūtoné? -
Na'a mou 'osi 'eke ki he 'Ateni Seniale mo e Kalake Pule 'o e Fale Alea e me'a koeni kau Loea? He ko 'eku ma'u 'oku kehekehe pe process, 'oku 'ikai ko ha liliu lao ka ko e fokotu'u e kupu fo'ou, kapau ko e liliu ha kupu motu'a 'oku tonu ke consult e kakai.
Ko e fatongia ia 'omoutolu kau loea kemou taukapo pe faile ha faka'ilo pea fakaiku atu ki he Fakamaau kene aofanga tuku. Ko e kau Fakamaau 'oku tonu kenau hanu he ko nautolu 'e tuku atu kiai e fakapona mo e fihi kenau fakavetevete.
Ko e ai ke consultation oku tau fakataputapui he koviti vakai oku defecit e budget kamou holi fai me'a loloa. Tuku e faka'ii'ii mo e fie'asi. Koeha leva ha toe ngaue temou mei fakahoko kapau ne fai e consultation? Ko e kei paasi tatau ai pe.