NUKUʻALOFA: The Government’s decision to advance the Public Finance Management Bill 2026 before presenting its accompanying regulations has prompted questions from the CEO of Tonga People’s Radio 88.1FM and the Tonga Chronicle, alongside members of the public, over legislative transparency and accountability.
At the heart of the dispute is whether Parliament can adequately scrutinise legislation governing public finances when the regulations detailing its practical implementation are yet to be presented.
While the Attorney General’s Office and the Chief Executive Officer of Finance have reportedly maintained that the process is acceptable, critics are demanding clarity on the legal and procedural basis for postponing the regulations until after the Bill is passed.
Questions were even raised whether the Parliament is going by regulations from previous years? What is a Bill without updated regulations?
The issue raises a fundamental question: How can Parliament and the public fully assess the implications of proposed financial legislation without first examining the rules intended to govern its implementation?
Mr. Etuate Lavulavu further emphasised the need to extend public consultations on the Bill to the outer islands, noting that communities outside Tongatapu often have more limited access to the internet and should be given an equal opportunity to participate in the legislative process.
Accordingly, representative from the Attorney General office, Counsel Ma’ata Toe’api Pomale has promised to voice these questions to the Attorney General for future answers and clarifications.
Amongst these concerns were issues raised by Mr. Mapa Taumalolo representing the Civil Society Forum of Tonga. Mr. Taumalolo stressed the importance of the regulations and treasury instructions to be able to get a holistic view of the Bill. He also called for a report to be published following the public consultation, outlining the outcomes and demonstrating how participants’ contributions had been considered, so the public could see that their time and participation had been worthwhile.
Further, Tongatapu 7 MP Paula Piveni Piukala emphasised the need for clear explanations of the Bill and meaningful use of the public consultation process, warning against wasting participants’ time with superficial responses rather than substantive clarification.
Within the upcoming weeks the Tonga Chronicle will follow developments of this Bill. As the Government must provide a clear explanation of the legal authority for this approach and how meaningful parliamentary scrutiny will be safeguarded before the legislation is passed.
