A District and Town Officers Amendment Bill 2023 tabled in Parliament today has been referred for further consideration in the Legislation Standing Committee.
This is the Lord Speaker’s direction in accordance with clause 131 subsection 2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. It states that the Speaker must refer a Bill after its first reading to the relevant Committee tasked with scrutinizing policy and gathering public submissions to the Bill.
Parliament approved in its first reading and then the Speaker made his direction.
The main purpose of the amendments to section 10 and 11 of the Principal Act is to allow District and Town Officers to have access to gratuity after completing four years of service instead of 15 years which is currently provided in the existing legislation.
The amendment is a result of extensive consultations conducted by the Local Government Division of the Prime Minister’s Office with the District and Town Officers.
Parliament’s Legislation Committee will further scrutinise and consider the Bill before it reports to the House.