23 Jun 2005

Tongan MPs may move to impeach Prime Minister

8:18 pm on 23 June 2005

Tongan MP, Isileli Pulu, says there may be a move to impeach the Prime Minister, Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, once the new budget has been discussed.

Mr Pulu is one of nine popularly elected MPs, and he says the Peoples' Representatives will seek the impeachment on grounds of maladministration and incompetence.

Mr Pulu says since 2001 no audited Public Account has been presented to parliament.

He says the Prince 'Ulukalala has received the Public Account from the auditor-general in recent years but has failed to release information.

Mr Pulu says the practice lacks transparency.

He says parliament has been told the Public Account will be available soon, but he is not hopeful.

"We doubt, we still doubt it because they often say that the past few years, so what we are going to do, we might look to impeach the prime minister himself because he don't do according to the constitution. Every department, government department is supposed to submit their annual report to parliament."

Mr Pulu says the few reports that are submitted are not very detailed.