PUBLIC ENTERPRISES TRAVEL

POLICY, 2022
 PUBLIC ENTERPRISES TRAVEL POLICY

LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND ALLOWANCES

1. Introduction
The purpose of the proposed travel policies is to provide guidelines on the management of
Public Enterprises’ CEO and employees who are travelling on official business. This includes
travel approval, classes of travel, calculations of per diem, incidentals payments and payments
while in transit and early check-in and check-out
The PE travel policy is so much more than that: it's your way to corral business travel into
something that doesn't overtake all of the administrative team's time. It's a way to empower
domestic and international travel, connect employees to each other and to their clients, and
get a handle on actual expenses for travel.
The travel policy is essentially a Public Enterprises’ rules and procedures that outline how
their employees should approve, book, manage the expenses, and report travel for business
purposes.

2. Coverage
2.1. This travel policy applies to all the Public Enterprise CEO and employees including
anyone travelling under PE’s funding except for a director of the PE.

2.2. This travel policy is a component of the Public Enterprises Staff Standardised
Employment Policy Manual, 2022 (PESSEP-22).

3. Definitions
3.1 Official Business travel is defined as travel on PE’s duty to both local and overseas
destinations which involves a temporary absence from work. This includes attending
meetings, seminars, training programs, workshops, works attachments, work related
assignments, representing the PE as delegate or any business-related engagement approved by
the PE.

4. Approval
4.1 All official business travels of employees shall require the prior approval of the CEO.
4.2 All official travels of the CEO shall require the prior approval of the Board.
 5. Travel Arrangements
5.1 All bookings shall be made immediately upon receiving approval for the travel.
5.2 Although, the wellbeing of the staff travelling will be taken into consideration, all travel
shall be time and cost effective.
6. Travelling Allowances
6.1. Travelling Allowances are payable only to an employee travelling to another place away
from his base station and where they spend a part of or a whole calendar day there to
perform a function of the Public Enterprises (PE) as directed or approved by the CEO.
i. Any Minister(s) invited by the PE to travel to the outer island on business shall be
entitled to travelling allowances as per this policy.
ii. The Director’s travelling allowances shall be set in accordance with the Director’s
Travel Policy.
iii. The CEO’s travelling allowances shall be set in accordance with this Policy.
iv. When the CEO for the Ministry of Public Enterprises is invited by the PE to travel
outer islands on business shall be entitled to travelling allowances per this policy
v. The employee’s travelling allowances shall be set in accordance with this Policy.

7. Domestic official business travelling

7.1. Domestic travelling means travelling from one island group to another within the
Kingdom of Tonga e.g. Tongatapu / Ha’apai or Vava’u or ‘Eua and so forth. Travelling
allowances may be payable if an employee travels within one island group but prior
approval of the CEO is required on a case-by-case basis e.g. travel from Tongatapu to
Vava’u to perform a function of the PE.

7.2. Local travelling allowances shall be at the rates approved in Annex 1.

8. Payment of Domestic travelling

Internal local travelling allowances may be paid up to 30 days for any one time but the CEO
and the Board as the case may be shall approve allowances in excess of 30 days if needs
dictate.

9. Mode of transportation
The mode of transportation of domestic travelling shall be decided upon by the CEO and the
Board on a case-by-case basis.

10. Overseas official business travelling

Overseas travelling means travelling to a country outside of the Kingdom of Tonga. Perdiem
allowances/rates shall be those approved in Annexes 2.
11. First or Business class air ticket
11.1. Any Minister(s) invited by the PE to head a delegation overseas shall be entitled to a First
or Business class tickets which ever seat available.

11.2. The Board of Directors shall be entitled to a Business Class air ticket when travelling
overseas on the PE’s business, subject to the Minister of Public Enterprises approval.

11.3. The PE Chief Executive Officer shall be entitled to a Business Class air ticket when
travelling overseas on the PE’s business.

11.4. When the CEO for the Ministry of Public Enterprises is invited by the PE to travel
overseas on official duties, he shall be entitled to a Business Class tickets.

11.5. The Management Team and all other employees shall be entitled to travel in economy
class except if accompanying the General Manager or a Board Member on the PE’s
business and such business class ticket be approved by the Board.

11.6. The Management Team and all other employees shall be entitled to a Business Class air
ticket, only if the duration of the flight is 6 hours or more and for the PE’s business.

12. Per diem on overseas travel

12.1. The CEO, Management Team and all other employees per diem on overseas travel shall
be according to the rates imposed in Annexes 2.

12.2. The payment of per-diem allowances shall only be applicable for the period that the
recipient is actually travelling overseas on PE business. Once the PE business is concluded
then, regardless of the circumstances, the per diem payment shall cease.

12.3. When the General Manager are away overseas on official duties, they shall be entitled for
full appropriate overseas per diem even if travel expenses are part or fully funded by
another country.

13. En-route expenses and Part expenses

13.1. Where and when another country pays for the full cost of an employee travelling overseas
and approved by the General Manager, the en-route expenses if not met by that country
shall be borne by the PE.

13.2. If another country or any organization pays only a part of costs for an employee approved
by the CEO to travel overseas the other part of the costs shall be borne by the PE.
14. Top up of per diem
The CEO with the Board’ consent may approve the topping up of any overseas travel per diem of
an employee when and where necessary, on a case by case basis. This approval is for:
i. Top up on expensive accommodation
ii. Top up for meal and incidental (match PE’s per diem)

15. Reporting
15.1. Any person who travelled on PE’s business and funded by the PE shall submit a full
report as follows –
i. CEO: to the Board of Directors.
ii. Any employee: to the CEO.
15.2. All reports shall be submitted within 5 working days from the date arrived in the original
destination.
 Annex 1.
Domestic Travelling Allowance
Tongatapu and Vava'u
Human Resource Categories Nightly rate
Prime Minister $380
Ministers, Board of Directors $360
CEO $340
Top Management (Deputies and Heads of Department/Division) $300
Middle management & Senior employees $270
Junior Employees and Labourers $220
‘Eua
Prime Minister $340
Ministers, Board of Directors $320
CEO $300
Top Management (Deputies and Heads of Department/Division) $260
Middle management & Senior employees $210
Junior Employees and Labourers $180
Ha’apai & Two Niuas
Prime Minister $330
Ministers, Board of Directors $300
CEO $280
Top Management (Deputies and Heads of Department/Division) $250
Middle management & Senior employees $200
Junior Employees and Labourers $170
In cases where there is no vehicles of the PE in that place, the following daily rates for
transport allowance are payable:
Prime Minister $60
Ministers, Board of Directors $50
CEO $45
Top Management (Deputies and Heads of Department/Division) $35
Middle management & Senior employees $25
Junior Employees and Labourers $15
 Annex 2.
Overseas Per diem Allowances/rates