Life Peers May Stand as Candidates in Tonga’s Noble’s Poll

Arecent amendment to Tonga’s Electoral Act early in September makes it possible for five life peers to stand as candidates when nobles elect their nine representatives to the Tongan Parliament on 16 November, the Electoral Commissioner, Pita Vuki told an Election Reporting Workshop on Tuesday.

Mr Vuki said that prior to the amendment to the Electoral Act, the Life Peers were able to vote in the noble’s election but they were not able to stand as candidates. “The change was to make them able to stand as well as to be able to vote. This was the change made this year.”

He said the Electoral Commission had written to these five men asking them to clearly indicate whether or not they wanted to become candidates for the upcoming November 16 General Election. All five life peers had responded that they did not want to stand as candidates, he said.

The Life Peers are:

1. Dalgety ‘o Sikotilani Tonga, (Tongatapu and ‘Eua)

2. Tupou ‘o Kolofo’ou, (Tongatapu and ‘Eua)

3. Sevele ‘o Vailahi, (Tongatapu and ‘Eua)

4. Tangi ‘o Vaonukonuka (Vava’u)

5. Matoto ‘o Tu’anekivale (Vava’u) Mr Vuki said he did not know why this change was introduced. “We are only conducting the elections on what is given to us under the law,” he said. The nobles elec- tion will be held between 10:00am and noon on November 16. Tonga’s King Tupou VI dissolved parliament on August 24 and issued a writ for an early general election.

The change to the Noble’s Election Regulations was Gazetted two weeks later.

Electoral Districts of Nobles

(1) A Noble shall only vote or stand for election as a representative in accordance with the Electoral Dis- tricts set out in the Schedule.

(2) Any person appointed by His Majesty as a Life Peer under clause 44 of the Constitution, and having the same rights and benefits of a Noble, may vote as a Noble for an Electoral District, and shall declare the Electoral District they will vote for to the Supervisor of Elections, and shall maintain it.