FROM OUR ARCHIVES
By Pesi Fonua
Santa Claus visited the Tongan Parliament early this year and on December 5 the House received a gift of thousands of dollars worth of digital recording equipment that will help make efficient recording of parliament possible in its move toward democracy.
The gift was presented by the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, HE Mr Bruce Hunt, to the Speaker of the House, Noble Tu'ilakepa.
The High Commissioner said that it was a follow-up to a gift of recording equipment presented to the House in February by Mr McMillan, the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Islands Affairs, and Mr Kerr the Parliamentary Secretary for Aid Program.
Mr Hunt reminded the Speaker that when Mr McMillan and Mr Kerr made their presentation, they stressed that the technical assistance was to enable the efficient recording of the proceeding of parliament so that "democracy and the parliamentary system work effectively."
"This equipment should make the work of the Speaker and the staff of the House easier, and for parliament to work effectively.
"It should make parliament an effective unit for the development of democracy in Tonga," said HE Mr Bruce Hunt.
The Speaker, Noble Tu'ilakepa thanked the High Commissioner and assured him that the equipment would help parliament in their preparation for the Political Reform of 2010.
