The Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku is currently awaiting king Tupou VI to appoint his newly nominated Cabinet Ministers.
The Prime Minister said on July 6 his nominations had been submitted to His Majesty.
Kaniva News understands the king has yet to sign the proposal which was apparently submitted before July.
The Minister of Fisheries post was still vacant after former Minister Sēmisi Fakahau died in October 2022. There was a rumour going around that a new Minister of Police was nominated. The Prime Minister is currently the Minister of Police.
The lack of response from the throne comes after the late Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s requests for an audience with the king went unanswered. The law says the Prime Minister must meet with the king once every month.
However, as we previously reported, the late Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa claimed in an interview with Kaniva News that the king did not accept the audience because he was unhappy with ‘Akilisi.
In 2017, the king dissolved the Parliament in an attempt to revoke Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and his Cabinet but that did not work out after it became clear that he has no power in the constitution to dismiss the Cabinet. His dissolution power, according to the constitution, is restricted to the Legislative Assembly only.
In 2021 the king shocked the nation, by questioning the honesty of the members of parliament and their ability to run the government. He also chastised the Tu’i’onetoa government for its involvement in businesses and failing to complete the annual ministerial reports on time.
The law stipulates that the Prime Minister must nominate his Cabinet ministers and submits it to the king for appointment. There is no timeframe for the king’s signature.
The news comes after a Motion of No Confidence in the Prime Minister’s government was filed on Tuesday by 10 MPs.
The Parliament said MP Dr ‘Aisake Eke had submitted the motion of Vote of No Confidence on Tuesday with 10 MPs, which Kaniva News understands including two nobility MPs Lord Tu’ivakanō and Lord Nuku.
