Tony Sullivan's List: Pacific

• In November 2006 what started as a peaceful protest by democracy supporters  turned into a riot that left much of downtown Nuku’alofa burning. Change could  not be forever delayed.

   

  Two years ago legislation approved by  Queen Salote’s’ grandson, George  Tupou V, resulted in the November election being held under new rules. The king  would relinquish most of his powers to an elected prime minister.

   

  New lineup
  Parliament would comprise 9 nobles  representing 54 nobles, and 17 MPs presenting about 70,000 adult commoners, the  PM would be elected by Parliament and Cabinet by the PM.

• The DPFI won 9 of the 10 seats on Tongatapu, one in Ha’apai and another in  the Niuas (that later defected) leaving the DPFI with 11 of the 26 seats in  Parliament.

   

  Independents held the other 6 commoner seats, and the nobles the 9 they were  entitled to.  When Parliament met to decide the PM, all the Independents  voted with the nobles, and a noble, Lord Tu’ivakano, became Prime Minister

• There is an obvious moral to this story.  Tonga has taken a small step  forward towards a more representative parliament but effective power and  authority continues to reside in the same hands.

   

  None of the Pacific states, or Australia or New Zealand, has ever commented  on the old or new electoral system, or on the outcome of the November  elections.

   

  There have been no bans or threats of sanctions; no suspensions from the  Commonwealth or Pacific Islands Forum; no withholding of aid from the European  Union and traditional donors, and absolutely no negative media publicity – as in  the case of Fiji.

   

  The BBC called it Tonga’s “first popularly-elected parliament” even though  one-third of the seats were reserved for chiefs and the popularly elected  majority party has been denied effective participation in government.

   

  Appearance not substance is what counts. Overseas armchair democrats and  politicians can be content. There has been an “election” — and little  substantial change.

1 more annotation...