The senior noble representative, Lord Tu’ivakano, spoke for the rest of his fellow noble members in Parliament, when he urged Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku to resign from his portfolio as Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces.
He also called for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Fekita ‘Utoikamanu to resign from her two Cabinet portfolios.
It has been 4 weeks since the Privy Council in a letter on 2 February conveyed that His Majesty was no longer confident and withdrew his consent to the Minister of Defense over His Majesty’s Armed Forces, as well as to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.
No reasons were given as to why the King had withdrawn his approval.
In the meantime there has been no response from the Prime Minister to comply with the contents of the Privy Council communique. According to the Constitution, he has the authority to appoint Ministers of the Cabinet.
But the Prime Minister’s perceived resistance to the message from the Privy Council, has given public outcry that the King should not take the country back to what it was before the 2010 reform.
“The Constitution is supreme, and the rule of law should be honoured as one of the basic pillars of democracy,” said one commentator. “The King understands this, and should talk to the Prime Minister rather than try to change things according to his wishes,” he said. “His wishes must be subject to the Constitution.”
Lord Tu’ivakano told the Prime Minister that instead of resisting to comply with the Kings wishes, he should go talk to the King, and resign from his portfolio. The King is in the Niuas currently and so the nobles have urged the Prime Minister “to go to Niua and talk to the King.”
In a letter written on 26 February, the nobles told the Prime Minister: “We advise you at this moment to resign from the position as the Minister for His Majesty’s Armed Forces, and the same with Hon. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu to resign from her post as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism.”
The Prime Minister was tearful in the House in his response to the nobles’ letter. There had been exchanges of letters between Cabinet and the Palace, he said. He was sorry “if it appeared to be disrespectful.”
“It is part of my upbringing to be respectful. There was no disrespect to His Majesty… my apology, I love our King… it is my life to be respectful,” he said.
The standoff however between the King and the Prime Minister is still without resolution, even as Tonga enters a new month and the fifth week since the letter from the Privy Council.