By Katalina Siasau
Budget deliberations continued in the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, in the Whole House Committee today, 16 June 2026, focusing on the allocations for His Majesty's Diplomatic Services (HMDS), His Majesty's Armed Forces (HMAF), and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), under Votes 5 to 7.
HMDS was allocated $20.9 million, of which $20 million, or 95.7% will be funded by the government, while 4.3% will be supported by development partners.
Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua said one of the priorities for HMDS is progressing work towards establishing a new diplomatic mission in Suva, Fiji.
The People’s Representative for Tongatapu no. 10, Hon. Kapelieli Lanumata, urged the government to consider establishing a diplomatic mission in Geneva, saying it would strengthen Tonga’s trade opportunities in Europe and support closer engagement with global markets.
A total of $1.7 million has been allocated for the Fiji mission. However, Lanumata noted that additional funding may be needed to adequately support the increasing number of Tongan students attending universities in Fiji.
Armed Forces northern HQ
Meanwhile, His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF) was allocated $17.1 million, with $14.1 million, or 82.3% funded by the government and $3 million, or 17.7% funded by development partners.
The Noble’s Representative for Tongatapu no. 2, Lord Vaea, questioned why the Northern Command was established in Vava’u rather than in the Niuas.
He expressed concern that locating the command in Neiafu could potentially affect tourism activity and create disruptions between military operations and the tourism sector.
The Northern Command headquarters in Vava’u was commissioned in 2023 by the King.
Funds to combat illicit drugs
Meanwhile, the People’s Representative for Ha’apai no. 12, Hon. Saimone Vuki, noted Fiji’s military involvement in combating illicit drugs and asked whether Tonga had plans for its armed forces to play a greater role in addressing the issue.
Responding to the question, the PM said, “Tonga has not reached the level of severity seen in Fiji. The deployment of the Armed Forces is ultimately a matter for His Majesty to decide.”
The PM added that the armed forces already cooperate with Police and Customs on maritime security operations.
The Chairman of the Whole House Committee, Lord Tu’ilakepa, also raised concerns over low salaries for Navy crew members and urged the PM to address the issue.
The Prime Minister’s Office was allocated $18.1 million, with 73.8% funded by the government and 26.2% supported through budget assistance.
The People’s Representative for Tongatapu no. 4, Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu, questioned the PMO’s role in combating illicit drugs and raised concerns over the allocation of funding.
The budget allocates $5 million towards combating illicit drugs, distributed across agencies involved in the National Illicit Drugs Taskforce.
The allocations include $1 million for the PMO, $800,000 for Customs, $1.7 million for Police, and $1.5 million for Prisons.
Questioning the distribution of funds, Tapueluelu said, “My concern is how the funding has been allocated. Resources should be directed to the frontline agencies leading this fight.”
He expressed concern that the PMO had been allocated more funding than Customs despite Customs playing a frontline role in intercepting illicit drugs.
Tapueluelu also noted that no funding had been specifically allocated to the Armed Forces and questioned how the PMO’s $1 million allocation would be utilized and what outcomes were expected.
In response, the PM said Tonga’s anti-drug efforts are not solely focused on supply reduction but also include harm reduction measures, which has resulted in an operational shift within the national illicit drugs response.
However, Tapueluelu argued that the $1 million allocated to the PMO should instead be directed to Customs due to its frontline role in combating drug trafficking.
Town and District Officers
Meanwhile, Lord Vaea raised concerns over what he described as a lack of recognition for town and district officers, saying their roles were not sufficiently acknowledged in the PMO corporate and budget plans.
He urged the government to provide greater recognition for the work they carry out in communities.
The People’s Representative for Tongatapu no. 1, Hon. Tevita Puloka, also emphasized the importance of town officers in supporting community wellbeing, particularly among youth and families.
Vuki suggested it may be time for Tonga to establish a specialized agency dedicated to combating illicit drugs.
