Page 26 - IB OCT 2017

Politics High ambition Can the army intervene Wrong example Who is Fiji trying to
in State affairs? P34
follow? P35w

From Page 21 lative Assembly at his pleasure had been in Sovaleni and Lavemaau has been seen
“ If the court were to find that the disso- entrenched in “our Constitution for well by many as a “suicidal move” that could
lution was not justiciable, that would not over a century but this is only the first cause him his dreams of returning as
necessarily be a bad thing either. How so? time ever that it had been invoked. So we Prime Minister at the November elections.
Because it would then give the people of are in uncharted waters. Both Sovaleni and Lavemaau were
Tonga the opportunity to discuss whether As such this is the ideal window of op- instrumental in getting Pohiva’s party to
our Constitution and our laws should be portunity for the people of Tonga to find form government and ensuring the former
amended to ensure that the exercise of the out whether such Royal prerogative is school teacher became PM.
personal Royal prerogative to dissolve the justiciable and whether it is still appro- Now with two other former senior Cabi-
Legislative Assembly is limited by certain priate in this day and age and whether net colleagues in Dr Aisake Eke and Fe’ao
parameters so as to ensure that the next its utility is still valuable in light of the Vakata having also earlier been sacked
time the prerogative is used, that it is magnanimous voluntary devolution by from government, the focus will turn to
justiciable. His Late Majesty King George Tupou V whether the four will back Pohiva again.
“If the court were to find that the of the executive powers of governing the Or will they, if they do win their seats
dissolution was justiciable and that it country to an elected Prime Minister and again, cross the floor and join the Nobles
had been done legally, that would not Cabinet and the His Late Majesty’s Royal to form government.
necessarily be a bad thing too. How so? ascent to the constitutional reforms that Many here believe both Sovaleni and
Because it would then give the people of were adopted by the Legislative Assembly Dr Eke are already assured their return
Tonga the opportunity to discuss whether in 2010. That window of opportunity is to Parliament.
our Constitution and our laws should be available if a legal challenge to the dissolu- The others might have a tougher fight
amended to ensure that the exercise of the tion was to be filed in the Supreme Court”. on their hands.
personal Royal prerogative to dissolve the That also might mean the same for the
highest democratic decision making body PM’s action Pohiva and his team.
in the nation cannot be dissolved on the But one thing is certain – there will be
basis of flimsy charges of alleged threats Compounding the issue now is the fact some new faces in Parliament come end
to His Majesty’s prerogatives and alleged that PM Pohiva has accused two of his of November.
mismanagement by the Prime Minister senior Ministers of having taken sides and And a new Prime Minister is likely to
and Cabinet.” being part of the conspiracy, as he calls it, be elected as well.
Mr Senituli said the king’s personal to oust him from his leadership role. r iliesatora2012@gmail.com
Royal prerogative to dissolve the Legis- The fact that he has sacked his deputy

“My conflict prevention work is linked to the communities where
I work. It is ensuring we have responsive community based mech-
anisms to support conflict prevention in community, in schools,
in church, in parliament because there’s conflict anywhere, every-
where even within the families, the workplace”- Vanessa Heleta,
Founder/Director of the Talitha Project (Tonga) and GPPAC Pacific
Regional Steering Group Chairperson

“Conflict prevention is linked to the way development pro-
grammes and services are delivered to communities. That
includes ensuring communities in rural and remote areas have ac-
cess to information, education, health and wellbeing- when these
things are not available people are frustrated, they feel anger.”
- James Laki, Executive Director, Peace Foundation Melanesia,
Papua New Guinea
“By using community media, the GPPAC Pacific network borought
Pacific voice and experience into the regional Conflight Prevention
and Human Security framework, the Pacific Regional Action Plan
on Women, Peace and Security and the Security Sector Gover-
nance Principles. But we also expect these commitments to be
transformed to a lived reality. Our governments need to be more
accountable to a human security approach by linking conflict pre-
vention particularly to the development process. We also still need,
and expect renewed collaboration with regional inter-governmental
“The work that we do everyday in Vois Blong Mere is empowering processes to bring Pacific Peacebuilders, including women, to the
women to raise their voices and to have access to economic, health table with government officials.”
education or environment information that will help them to make - Sharon Bhagwan Rolls,
informed choices in their own development. I would say that the femLINKpacific & Chairperson - GPPAC Board
work I do everyday is all about implementing 1325 and helping
women to access information. With the launch of the National Ac-
tion Plan for Women, Peace and Security we will continue with our
advocacy and awareness on the human security aspects of peace in
Solomon ISlands, because peace is not only when there is RAMIS or
when there is a police force in place, but when you are peaceful and The “Strengthening Non-State Actors Engagement in Regional Policy
secure everyday.” - Josephine Teakeni, Director, Voice Blong Mere Development and Implementation Programme” (the NSA Programme) is
Solomons funded through the European Union’s 10th European Development Fund
(EDF10) and implemented by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
26 Islands Business, October 2017