Membership to the Niue Assembly Select committees and an increase in the number of committees
The 18th Niue Assembly
At the sitting of the Fono Ekepule last week, the Speaker Hon. Hima Douglas announced the names of the members who will be working in the nine select committees, an increase from the usual four parliamentary select committees.
One of the new changes in this 18th Niue Assembly is the increase in the number of select committees and a more organized and structured setting where membership is limited to five or six per committee.
Standing Orders Committee
Hon. Crossley Tatui (CR)
Hon. O’love Tauveve Jacobsen (CR)
Talaititama Talaiti (Vaiea)
Logopati Seumanu (Liku)
Ricky Muaki Makani (Tamakautoga)
The House Committee
Rhonda Tiakia Tomailuga (Lakepa)
Silepea Sione (Namukulu)
Tofua Puletama (Makefu)
Pita Poimamao Vakanofiti (Avatele)
Talaititama Talaiti (Vaiea)
The Public Accounts Committee
Hon. O’love Tauveve Jacobsen (CR)
Hon. Dion Taufitu (Toi)
Logopati Seumanu (Liku)
Ritchie Mautama (Hakupu)
Tutuli Heka (Alofi Tokelau)
Rhonda Tiakia Tomailuga (Lakepa)
The Constitution Review Committee
Hon. Crosley Tatui (CR)
Hon. Sonya Talagi (CR)
Hon. Billy Talagi (CR)
Tofua Puletama (Makefu)
Sinahemana Hekau (CR)
Ian Hipa (Hikutavake)
The Bills and Legislations Committee
Hon. Billy Talagi (CR)
Hon. O’love TauVeve Jacobsen (CR)
Ritchie Mautama (Hakupu)
Ian Hipa (Hikutavake)
Florence Maureen Melekitama (Mutalau)
Sinahemana Hekau (CR)
The Ethics and Privileges Committee
Hon. Crossley Tatui (CR)
Logopati Seumanu (Liku)
Silepea Sione (Namukulu)
Sinahemana Hekau (CR)
Ritchie Mautama (Hakupu)
The Committee on Natural Resources and State-owned Enterprises
Hon. Billy Talagi (CR)
Florence Maureen Melekitama (Mutalau)
Tutuli Heka (Alofi Tokelau)
Pita Poimamao Vakanofiti (Avatele)
Tofua Puletama (Makefu)
The Committee on Infrastructure and Central Agencies
Hon. Dion Taufitu (Toi)
Rhonda Tiakia Tomailuga (Lakepa)
Tutuli Heka (Alofi Tokelau)
Pita Poimamao Vakanofiti (Avatele)
Emani Fakaotimanava-Lui (CR)
The Committee on Social Services
Hon. Dion Taufitu (Toi)
Florence Maureen Melekitama (Mutalau)
Emani Fakaotimanava-Lui (CR)
Ian Hipa (Hikutavake)
Ricky Muiaki Makani (Tamakautonga)
Premier Dalton Tagelagi is not in any of the committees as according to sources at the Fale Fono, it will not be appropriate for Premier Tagelagi to sit in committees that are tasked to scrutinize the decisions of his government.
His ministers though have the choice to work in select committees as seen with the Minister of Finance Crossley Tatui who is in the Ethics and Privileges committee and the Constitution Review Committee. Another minister Sonya Talagi is also in the Constitution Review Committee. Minister for Natural Resources Esa Mona Ainuu is not in any of the parliamentary select committees.
The work of parliamentary select committees is crucial in that it provides the public the opportunity to speak to their representatives about matters that are before the Fono Ekepule and sometimes the committee can call for public submissions.
The committees have powers to summon heads of government departments or agencies and can call on the ministers to answer questions.
One of the most active committees is the Public Accounts Committees that provides parliamentary oversight over the budget and expenditure of the government.
According to the Office of the Fono Ekepule, the Committees have yet to elect their respective leaders but will do so, in due course and will be announced at the next sitting of the Fono.
