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Tonga - Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly |
STANDING ORDERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF TONGA
Arrangement of Orders
PART 1 PRELIMINARY
1. Title
2. Interpretation
PART 2 OFFICIAL VISITS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
3. Official visits
4. Circulation of invitations
5. Report of official visit
PART 3 GRATUITIES AND EMOLUMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
6. Annual salary and allowances
7. Constituency and location allowances
8. Absent with leave
9. Committee meetings
10. Local visits
11. Visit to district
12. Tongatapu representatives
13. Allowances for overseas travel
14. Overseas travel
15. Travel paid from overseas
16. Difference in airfare
PART 4 MEMBERS INSURANCE AND MEDICAL EXPENSES
17. Life, accident and travel insurance
18. Medical trip
19. Letter of authorization
20. Clerk to assist member
21. Medical treatment exceed 14 days
22. Special payments 11 23. Medical treatment while on
official visit
PART 5 STAFF OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
24. Clerk
25. Record of vote and proceedings
26. Sergeant-at-Arms
27. Journal of Debates
28. Committee Meetings
29. Staff attending local visits
30. Staff member overseas travel allowances
31. Staff travel paid from overseas
32. Staff insurances
33. Medical expenses of staff
PART 6 ATTIRE OF MEMBERS, STAFF AND VISITORS AND ADMISSION OF
VISITORS DURING SESSION
34. Attire
35. Visitors
36. Order for admission
37. Order to be presented
38. Conduct of visitors
39. Security officer
STANDING ORDERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF TONGA
1. These Orders may be
cited as the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.
2. In these Orders
unless the context otherwise requires, the Interpretation used in the Rules of
Procedure of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga shall apply.
PART 2 OFFICIAL VISITS OF THE LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY
3. All official visits
of the Legislative Assembly shall be approved by a resolution of the
Legislative Assembly or allowed under the provisions of these Orders, whether
local or overseas.
4. (1) If there is an
invitation from overseas, or if anything is required while the Legislative
Assembly is not in session, a circular submission shall be made and taken to
each member present in Tongatapu.
(2) If the majority of the members in Tongatapu approved the
submission, the Speaker shall complete all requirements to effect such matters.
(3) Such circular submission shall be
referred to the next meeting of the Legislative Assembly for information.
5. At the end of each
official visit of the Legislative Assembly, a member who participated in such a
visit shall submit a written report of the visit to the Legislative Assembly.
PART 3 GRATUITIES AND EMOLUMENTS FOR MEMBERS
OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
(2) Every officer of the Legislative Assembly
shall be given an annual salary and the allowances approved in the Estimates
and at the rate determined by the Legislative Assembly.
Location and constituency allowances
7. (1) The Nobles'
representatives and the People's representatives shall be given an annual constituency
allowance at the rate determined by the Legislative Assembly.
(2) The Nobles'
representatives and the People's representatives of Vava'u, Ha'apai, 'Eua and
the Niuas shall be given an annual location allowance at the rate determined by
the Legislative Assembly.
8. If a member of the
Legislative Assembly is unable to attend a meeting and has been excused by the
Speaker, such member shall receive the benefits in Order 7.
9. The members of a
Select Committee, Standing Committee or Sub-Committee will be paid a meeting
allowance at an hourly rate determined by the Legislative Assembly for every
meeting they attend.
10. In all local visits
approved by the Legislative Assembly, each member shall be paid the travelling
allowance together with regular daily allowances.
11. (1) The Legislative Assembly shall
pay for four return air fares for each member to travel to his district to
visit during the session, to meet and consult his voters on the work of the Legislative
Assembly, except the representatives of the People of Tongatapu.
(2)
(a) On a visit referred to in sub-Order (1),
a member shall be paid travelling allowance together with normal allowances.
(b) Each visit shall not be longer than four
days unless authorized by the Legislative Assembly or the Speaker.
12. The Representatives
of the People of Tongatapu shall be paid such amounts as directed by the
Legislative Assembly for their local visits.
Allowances for overseas travel
13. (1) The allowances
for all Legislative Assembly overseas travels approved by the Legislative
Assembly shall be paid as follows –
(a) The Speaker and the Ministers shall be
paid the per diem rate that Government uses for Ministers in their overseas
travel;
(b) Other members shall receive the per diem rate that
Government uses for the Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet and the Chief
Justice.
(2) Appropriate air fare rates shall be paid
according to the Government Travel Table.
14. The Legislative
Assembly shall pay the member's allowances for overseas travel as follows –
(a) meetings in the Pacific Islands including
Australia and New Zealand –
(i) three (3) days travelling to the meeting;
(ii) days of the meeting;
(iii) three (3) days to return to Tonga;
(iv) only the actual travelling days shall be
paid;
(v) the most direct route may be utilized;
and
(vi) extra days may be included
(b) Meetings in the Pacific Rim Countries –
(i) five (5) days to travel to the meeting;
(ii) days of the meeting;
(iii) five (5) days to return to Tonga;
(iv) only the actual travelling days shall be
paid;
(v) the most direct route may be utilized;
and
(vi) extra days may be included.
(c) meetings elsewhere –
(i) seven (7) days to travel to the meeting;
(ii) days of the meeting;
(iii) seven (7) days to return to Tonga.
(iv) only the actual travelling days shall be
paid;
(v) the most direct route may be utilized;
and
(vi) extra days may be included.
15. If travelling is
paid from overseas, the member shall be entitled to all travelling allowances
except for the allowances and days paid from overseas.
16. If the airfare paid
from overseas differ from that approved for members, the Legislative Assembly
shall pay the difference to bring it up to the approved level.
PART 4 MEMBERS INSURANCE AND MEDICAL EXPENSES
Life, accident and travel insurance
17. Each member shall
have valid life insurance, accident insurance and travel insurance for each
year he is a member.
18. (1) If a member
becomes ill or in need of medical examination, the Minister of Health shall
notify the Speaker in writing that such illness and medical examination cannot
be treated here in Tonga.
(2) The Speaker may approve that referral at
the expense of the Legislative Assembly.
19. The Speaker shall
issue the approval by giving a letter of authorization to the Minister of
Health and the Minister of Finance to proceed with the medical trip for that
member.
20. The Speaker shall,
in consultation with the Minister of Health, direct the Clerk to carry out all
matters to enable the travel to be effected as follows –
(a) transportation to take the member to the
airport (if needed);
(c) one business class airline seat one way
for a doctor or nurse, if needed and one return economy seat plus the
appropriate overseas travelling allowances for that officer for the trip over
and back;
(d) transportation to take the member and the
attendant from the airport overseas to the hospital (if needed).
(e) overseas travelling allowances for the
member in accordance with Order 14 but shall not exceed 14 days; and
(f) All other direct medical expenses
approved by the Speaker.
Medical treatment exceed 14 days
21. If a medical
treatment exceeds 14 days, the member shall on the written confirmation from
the doctor, receive only his annual salary, daily allowance, vehicle allowance
and rent allowance.
22. If Government has
already made any special payments to a member because of sickness, the Speaker
of the Legislative Assembly shall not pay out any further allowances in
connection with that sickness.
Medical treatment while on official visit
23. If there is a need
to carry out any medical treatment to any member while he is on a Legislative
Assembly visit, the Legislative Assembly shall bear all costs in accordance
with Order 18 to 22.
PART 5 OFFICERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
24. (1) The Principal
officer of the staff of the Legislative Assembly shall be the Clerk. (2) The
Clerk shall work in and carry out the instructions of the Legislative Assembly.
Record of vote and proceedings
25. The votes and
proceedings of the Legislative Assembly and of the Committee of the Whole House
shall be noted by the Clerk, as specified in Rule 28 of the Rules of Procedure
of the Legislative Assembly.
26. The Sergeant-at-Arms
is the officer to maintain order in the Legislative Assembly and carry out the
functions and implement instruction of the Legislative Assembly.
27. The duties of the Clerk with
regards to the custody of the Journal of Debates and Records of all documents
whatsoever laid before the Legislative Assembly shall be as specified under
Rule 28 of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly.
28. The officers working
for a Select Committee, Standing Committee or Sub-Committee will be paid a
meeting allowance at an hourly rate determined by the Legislative Assembly for
every meeting they attend.
Officers attending local visits
29. In local official
visits of the Legislative Assembly where officers are directed to participate,
they shall be paid the travelling allowances together with the regular daily
allowances as determined by the Legislative Assembly.
Officer's overseas Travel allowances
30. The Legislative Assembly shall pay the officer of the Legislative
Assembly the applicable allowances for overseas travel set out under Order 14.
31. If the expense for
the overseas travel approved by the Legislative Assembly for an officer is paid
from abroad, the provisions under Order 15 shall apply.
32. Each officer shall
be covered with insurances which apply to members under Order 17.
33. Should any member of
the staff of the Legislative Assembly become ill, the provisions of Order 18 to
23 for members shall also apply except the following –
(a) two economy airline seats for the staff
member and an attendant;
(b) overseas travelling allowances for 14
days on the per diem rate extended to the staff of the Legislative Assembly;
(c) one return economy airline seat for a Doctor or Nurse.
PART 6 ATTIRE OF MEMBERS, STAFF AND VISITORS
AND ADMISSION OF VISITORS DURING SESSION
34. The Legislative
Assembly, from time to time shall determine by vote the attire to be worn by
members, staff and visitors to the Legislative Assembly during the meetings of
the Legislative Assembly.
35. Each member of the
Legislative Assembly may authorize admission to the Legislative Assembly of not
more than three visitors on any given day. Provided that the number of visitors
who may be admitted by the Speaker shall be unlimited.
36. Every Order for
Admission shall be dated and signed by the member issuing it and shall be valid
only on the date mentioned therein.
37. All Orders for
Admission shall be given by the holders to the Officer at the door of the
Legislative Assembly.
38. All persons admitted
to the Legislative Assembly pursuant to these Orders shall occupy the seats set
apart for visitors. They shall not in any way interfere with or interrupt the
proceedings of the Legislative Assembly and shall refrain from expressions of
approval or disapproval and they shall not bother the members.
39. It shall be the duty
of the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Security Officer to ensure that no one enters
the Legislative Assembly without permission during the meeting of the
Legislative Assembly or the Committee of the Whole House.
Made at Nuku'alofa this day of 2013
Lord Fakafanua
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
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