|
|
|
|
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
The basic constitutional functions of the Speaker are summarized as follows:
Under Clause 62 of the Constitution, whereby authority is vested to the House to make its own rules of proceedings, the Speaker also has the following constitutional functions:
CLERK OF THE HOUSE
The principal mission of the Clerk of the House is to provide assistance and advice to the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives in terms of meeting their responsibilities and duties, that they adhere at all times to the Standing Orders of the House, meet the legal and parliamentary requirements of the lawmaking process and to record the history of that process in a clear, unbiased, and accurate manner. Many of the responsibilities associated with fulfilling this mission are created and/or vested in the Clerk by constitutional, statutory, and rule provisions and as such, must be taken very seriously. For example, the Constitution and the Rules of Proceedings (Standing Orders) requires the recording, print and publishing of the Journal of the Proceedings (known as the Hansards), which documents all official House action including roll call votes. A failure to faithfully discharge this responsibility could result in legal challenges to the validity of enacted legislation. The Rules of Proceedings also assign a number of responsibilities to the Clerk of the House including general supervision of all clerical duties pertaining to the business of the House and overseeing the engrossment and enrollment of bills. The co-ordination and orchestration of daily session activities, in consultation with the Speaker and in compliance with legal requirements. Therefore truly the critical function of the Chief Clerk's Office. Another vitally important responsibility of the Clerk is to provide and disseminate information to members, staff, and the general public relevant to the legislative process. This information includes - providing bills, Hansards, daily agendas and responding to questions via telephone, email or otherwise. DEPUTY CLERK The duties of the Deputy Clerk is to aid the Clerk of the House in all her duties and responsibilities and to give legal advise when required. The Deputy Clerk also foresees all officers that work directly in Chambers (parliament house). It is also the duty of the Deputy Clerk to report to the Clerk on employee welfare. CHIEF ACCOUNTANT The Chief Accountant is responsible for managing all the accounts of the Legislative Assembly, controlling cash-flow, keep check of budget allocation, the pay of members and officers and travel and other entitlements that a member and officers maybe entitled during sessions of parliament. It is his duty to report to the Clerk of any financial misappropriation etc. CHIEF TECHNICIAN The Chief Technician is responsible for recording all the debates within the House and all committee meetings. Since, the Constitution states that the business of the House is to be recorded in the Journals of the Proceedings, this is a very important role. Journals have to be published and ready for inspection the day after debates were recorded, and video and audio production must be completed on the evening when debates were made in the House. Hence, the role demands managerial and technical skills. [ Back to Top ]
|
Send mail to
webmaster@parliament.gov.to with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
The Speaker of the
Parliament of Tonga is the representative of the House itself, in its powers,
proceedings, and service. The Speaker's functions fall
into two main categories. On the one hand the Speaker is the Head of the office
of the Legislative Assembly, whose main task is to provide
administrative, legal and financial services to all members of the House. On
the other hand, the Speaker presides over the debates of the House (assuming the
role of an impartial adjudicator) and enforces the observance of
