Tongan leader pledges grip on MPs' expenses

Akilisi Pohiva. Photo / Audrey Young

Tonga's politicians and government spending will be subjected to unprecedented scrutiny, says Democracy Party leader Akilisi Pohiva.

Mr Pohiva will try to form a government this week following a landslide win in the country's first democratic elections last week.

He said unity in Tonga was important at present, including with the nobles representatives to Parliament.

The polls returned 17 elected individuals and nine nobles to the new parliament, meaning those elected by the people will have a majority for the first time. The Democracy Party has 12 of the elected seats.

But Mr Pohiva said reform was not finished, with the next step being the popular election of the nobles representatives, rather than the nobles electing themselves.

Mr Pohiva told the Herald the Prime Minister and ministers had to set a new standard.

"Starting with the Prime Minister and all ministers, they must set the example. They must show they are good leaders, reliable and have integrity. If they do not have integrity, that might affect the performance of the civil servants."

He said misuse of government vehicles was common, as was travelling overseas on trivial matters, and travelling first class was "terrible".

Click here for more of Mr Pohiva's interview with the Herald.

He said previous lack of accountability and transparency in the system had encouraged bad work attitudes that needed changing.

He was particularly irked by public servants who played games on their computers instead of showing greater commitment to their work.

A committee to publicly scrutinise government spending would be established. And a anti-corruption commissioner head the anti-corruption committee already established.

He said civil servants, especially those in the Customs and Inland Revenue where "leakages" of Government revenue occur, can expect special attention.

Before any of this happens, Mr Pohiva has to form a Government.

The 12 members of Mr Pohiva's Democracy Party will meet today and then tomorrow with the independents who make up the 17 people's representatives.

The nobles are understood to favour Mr Pohiva's deputy, Sitiveni Halapua, to head the Government.

Mr Pohiva said he would consult his party.

He would not explicitly say he wanted the job but implied it: "I may ask for their opinion first and discuss who is going to be the Prime Minister but normally who ever is the leader of the party [becomes Prime Minister] - is that the case in New Zealand?"

Mr Pohiva also said he would like to meet with the nobles though he would not include them in discussions about a people's representative Prime Minister.

"Unity and solidarity is very, very important, not only of the people but everyone, all Tongans including the nobles. We cannot afford to remain divided."

He said his ultimate goal was to establish a fully elected Government.